The Carer’s Leave Bill, which could see working carers get access to one week of unpaid carer’s leave, has been passed by MPs.
The Bill has passed the report stage and third reading in the House of Commons, and will now face scrutiny in the House of Lords.
If passed, employees who care for a relative or friend would be entitled to one week of unpaid leave each year to handle planned caring commitments.
It has received wide support from MPs, more than 78 of whom have given their backing after it was brought forward as a private members bill by Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain.
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Chamberlain said the Bill had reached an “amazing milestone”, but acknowledged that it was only a starting point for working carers.
“A start for the Bill in the Lords, but also the start of conversations between employers and those who work for them about providing support, the start of campaigning for paid leave, and the start of a process in which we give carers the recognition and value they deserve,” she said.
“I look forward to supporting Lord Fox as he takes the Bill through the Lords, and to continuing the fight for a better deal for carers.”
Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK said: “Today, we are a step closer to securing greater recognition, rights and support for unpaid carers in the workplace, which has been a priority for Carers UK for decades.
“Carers need these rights. We know that two-thirds of working carers who have taken unpaid carer’s leave say that it has made their caring role easier, while one in ten say they are at risk of reducing their hours or giving up work without access to it.
“Employers who have Carer’s Leave are better able to retain staff and more carers could see staying in work as a viable option, bringing both short- and long-term financial benefits. We look forward to supporting the Bill’s passage through the House of Lords.”
Claire Hawkins, director of corporate affairs and investor relations at Phoenix Group, is an executive sponsor of the company’s carer’s network. She said: “The successful passage of the Carer’s Leave Bill through the House of Commons is crucial to secure real change for the five million people in the UK – one in seven of the workforce – who have to balance their caring responsibilities with paid work. It also makes economic sense: inadequate support for working carers costs UK businesses £8.2 billion every year.
“This Bill is, therefore, an important first step to enable working carers to remain in the workplace and help businesses to retain high quality, motivated staff for longer.”
Since Phoenix Group introduced 10 days’ paid carer’s leave in 2020, the firm has been able to recruit and retain many people with caring responsibilities.
She said: “We urge other businesses to follow suit if they can afford to offer paid carers leave and we call on the government to build on this bill and legislate in future so that working carers are entitled to a minimum of 10-days statutory paid leave each year.”
