Statutory carer’s leave came into force in the UK in April 2024 entitling employees to one week’s unpaid carer’s leave per year. The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 states that leave is available to employees who need to give or arrange care for a dependant who has: a physical or mental illness or injury that means they need care for more than three months; a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010; or who has care needs because of their old age.
Nearly three in five carers in England and Wales are aged 50 years and over, and one in five people aged 50 to 69 years are informal carers.