by Stephen Burke
Employers and government could do much more to support the growing number of carers who work and want to work. Carers should be given the same rights at work as parents – particularly by extending tax breaks for childcare vouchers to care vouchers.
The government is currently reviewing its national strategy for carers and looking at measures to support carers in the future. Much has been done in the last ten years to make it easier for parents to balance their work and childcare responsibilities. Now we need to do more to address the needs of carers who work.
With our ageing population and ageing workforce, we are all living longer, working longer and caring more. Too often carers are forced to give up work and retire early because of the difficulties balancing caring and work. There is a strong business case for employers to support carers and help recruit and retain the best workforce.
Employers and government therefore need to take a number of key steps. Identifying staff who are carers and the support they want is a crucial starting point. Helping staff access good information and advice as well as better promotion of the right to request flexible work are important.
Employers also tell us that they would like to see the tax breaks available on childcare vouchers for working parents to be extended to care vouchers. This would help carers who work to buy in extra care and practical support so they could continue working while knowing that the person they care for has the services they need.
Tax breaks on care vouchers would have big benefits for carers and the people they care for, for employers and for the wider economy. Crucially care vouchers would help close the widening care gap in this country.
Nowadays parents are unable to spent much time with their children. I agree with it. Also they have to spent most of thier life time in making money. To overcome this and to spent much time with children while working parents can seek for home jobs (working in home through internet), Part time jobs and etc... If they do so they may come up from this crisis....
I am 23 years old and am currently still caring for my brother (social care)every weekend even though he is living in a nursing home with 14 hours of support work. When I was younger I had part time jobs at weekends but also needed to look after my brother in the end I left my jobs, and I hate to say this but they never paid as well as Carers Allowance which I was entitled to. I decided to take this route as I felt I was more needed at home with him, yet when I was working I provided way beyond the hours needed to claim Carers Allowance so why was I unable to do both.