Supporting working carers

1. Supporting working carers Findings of the HM Government and Employers for Carers Task and Finish Group Madeleine Starr, Carers UK

2. The context • Carers and Employment Task and Finish Group • The outcome of a Carers and Employment Summit in 2012 • Set up by the UK Minister for Care Services to explore how Government can work with employers, care providers, assistive technology developers and the third sector to support carers to remain in employment

3. Its purpose • To gather, examine, and present evidence on the social and economic case for interventions supporting carers to reconcile work and family life • Examining national and international evidence on the availability of care services and personal and household services (PHS) that maximise carers’ employment potential, and making the economic case • Developing the business/economic growth case for employers, as well as the potential of employer incentives to enable carers to combine work and care. • Developing evidence and arguments to inform the next UK Government Spending Review

4. The authors • Employers for Carers • An exciting, innovative membership forum for employers who want to support their employees with caring responsibilities • Administered by Carers UK and supported by its specialist knowledge • Committed to influencing wider employment policy and practice • HM Government • Six UK Government departments, including Treasury

5. The evidence • The problem • Impact of demographic change • Rising demand for care versus a shrinking workforce • Significant negative impact of carers leaving work on • Individuals and families • Business • The wider economy • Poor structural support for carers to work • Poor workplace support • A lack of supply of appropriate, affordable care and support services • A lack of awareness of and access to technology enabled care services

6. The evidence • The opportunity • Regaining output and revenue currently lost to caring • Reduction in public expenditure costs of caring • Increased tax revenues and pension contributions, reduced welfare benefits, and health gains • Benefits to business, including reduced loss of talent and increased business productivity • Benefits to the economy from growth in the care sector • Care sector job creation • Increased tax and National Insurance revenue from former ‘grey economy’ jobs

10. The recommendations • Employment practices • Better information, co-operation and action to support employees, employers and the care sector • Confederation of British Industry and British Chambers of Commerce • Government departments including • Department of Health • Department of Business, Innovation and Skills • Department for Work and Pensions • Skills for Care and other relevant Sector Skills Councils • Championship of Employers for Carers to • Support employers • Influence wider employment policy

11. The recommendations • Care and support services • More effective joint working to grow local care markets between • Local authorities • Care providers • Local Enterprise Partnerships • Health and Wellbeing Boards • Chambers of Commerce • The Treasury to consider • how care market growth can be embedded in ongoing and future strategies • Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to review • potential initiatives to incentivise and accelerate growth in the care and support sector

12. One outcome • Local authority carers and employment pilots to develop new and innovative measures • To promote more effective employer support • To provide more effective information, advice and guidance to working carers on workplace support and local care and support • To incentivise and promote growth in local care markets, including in technology enabled care services • 56 applications, 14 shortlisted, successful pilot sites to be announced towards the end of the year for implementation in 2015

13. madeleine.starr@carersuk.org www.carersuk.org www.employersforcarers.org