Balancing work and caregiving is no easy task. The new Carer’s Leave Act introduced in April, 2024, provided some much-needed relief, offering employees more support and flexibility to fulfill their caregiving duties.

Here’s a closer look at what the Carer’s Leave Act entails, how it supports employees, and what steps employers need to take to meet these new obligations.

What is the Carer’s Leave Act?

The Carer’s Leave Act, effective from April 6th, 2024, requires UK employers to provide up to one week of unpaid leave per year for employees caring for a dependent with long-term care needs.

This leave is designed to be flexible: employees can take it in separate blocks rather than all at once, allowing them to respond to caregiving needs as and when they arise.

Who Qualifies for Carer’s Leave?

To qualify for Carer’s Leave, employees must meet specific criteria:

• They must be full-time or part-time employees (contractors are not eligible).
• They must be caring for someone with long-term care needs, such as:
  • A spouse, civil partner, child, or parent.
  • Someone living with them (not tenants or boarders).
  • Someone who reasonably relies on the employee for care.

A dependent’s long-term care needs could include:

• A physical or mental condition requiring care for more than three months
• A disability as defined under the Equality Act 2010.
• Care needs related to old age.

Key Benefits for Employees

The Carer’s Leave Act brings several key advantages for employees:

• Dedicated Leave for Caregiving:
  For the first time, caregivers have access to specific time set aside for their responsibilities, without needing to use annual leave or sick days.
• Flexible Scheduling:
  Employees can take the leave in separate blocks, making it easier to manage caregiving duties without neglecting work commitments.
• Recognition of Caregivers:
  By introducing this law, the UK has started to recognise the importance of caregiving, helping build understanding and better workplace environments.

While the Carer’s Leave Act sets a minimum standard, employers who go above and beyond can create a more inclusive and supportive workplace.

• Provide Paid Leave: Offering paid caregiving leave shows a genuine commitment to employee well-being and fosters loyalty.
• Foster Open Conversations: Encourage discussions about caregiving responsibilities to build a culture of empathy and understanding.
• Enhance Support Programs: Consider providing access to counseling, caregiving resources, or employee assistance programs to further ease the burden on caregivers.

What This Means for Employers

For employers, the Carer’s Leave Act introduces important new obligations and an opportunity to improve workplace culture.

1. Statutory Requirement:
   Employers are now legally required to provide up to one week of unpaid leave per year for eligible employees.
2. Policy Updates:
   HR teams should review and update employee handbooks, ensuring all staff understand their rights and the process for applying for Carer’s Leave.
3. Managing Requests:
   Employers cannot refuse requests outright but may postpone leave if its timing would cause significant disruption. In such cases, they must notify the employee within seven days and propose alternative dates within a month.

A Step Forward

The Carer’s Leave Act is a milestone for employees and employers alike. It acknowledges the challenges caregivers face and lays the groundwork for a more supportive workplace. By preparing early and considering additional benefits, employers can attract and retain top talent while fostering a culture of compassion and inclusivity.

At Two Generations, we’re passionate about supporting caregivers. Through our Homeshare service, we help older adults live independently while connecting younger individuals with affordable housing opportunities. Together, we create connected communities that support every generation.

Want to learn how we can help your workplace support caregivers? Get in touch to explore new ways to improve employee well-being.

Why UK Employers Need to Prepare for an Aging Workforce.

The UK workforce is undergoing a seismic shift, with caregiving responsibilities becoming an increasingly pressing issue for employees and employers alike. By 2025, more workers in the UK will be caring for an elderly relative than a child—a startling statistic that underscores the urgency of addressing eldercare challenges in the workplace.

For employees, the burden is immense. Over 5 million adults in the UK struggle to balance work and caregiving, with many feeling the financial and emotional strain of supporting aging parents. These demands lead to exhaustion, reduced productivity, and difficult choices, such as cutting back hours or leaving the workforce entirely. On average, 600 people in the UK leave their jobs every day to care for a loved one.

This growing crisis doesn’t just affect individuals; it’s costing UK businesses billions annually in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover. With one in seven employees balancing caregiving with their job, businesses are already feeling the strain. Yet, few employers have robust systems in place to support these employees.

The Role of Employers in Navigating the Caregiving Crisis

Employers have a unique opportunity to lead the way in supporting their aging workforce. By acknowledging the challenges caregivers face and offering practical solutions, businesses can foster loyalty, reduce absenteeism, and attract top talent. This is where innovative eldercare solutions, like Homeshare, can make a meaningful difference.

Homeshare matches older adults with vetted companions who provide support and companionship in exchange for affordable housing. For employers, partnering with organisations like Two Generations, which offers Homeshare services, can directly support caregiving employees. This scheme helps reduce stress and provide peace of mind, enabling employees to focus on their careers without sacrificing the well-being of their loved ones.

A Call to Action for Employers

As the workforce ages, companies must prepare for the realities of caregiving. By integrating eldercare support into employee benefits, businesses can build a resilient, compassionate, and productive workforce.

Two Generations is at the forefront of this movement, offering tailored eldercare solutions for employees. From reducing stress for caregivers to enhancing workplace satisfaction, their Homeshare scheme is designed to meet the needs of a modern workforce.

Learn how your company can support employees and lead the way in addressing the caregiving crisis. Contact us today to find out more

We are often asked how did Two Generation come about. Founder and CEO Sam Brandman was the subject of this piece in the Standard when he and Natasha Langleben launched Two Generations in 2019.

CORAZON MILLER, 12 DECEMBER 2019

When Tilly Howard was growing up in a poor family in early 20th century East London, going to university was never an option.

Her family had limited resources to send her to school and she was part of a generation where women were not expected to further their education.

So she spent her early adult years raising her two children. It was not until she was in her fifties that Howard went to university for the first time, graduating with a chemistry degree. In her eighties she followed this with a second degree in classics.

TILLY HOWARD TURNED TO EDUCATION IN HER FIFTIES WHEN SHE GRADUATED WITH A CHEMISTRY DEGREE AND IN HER EIGHTIES SHE COMPLETED A SECOND DEGREE IN CLASSICS

At 90, after having overcome cancer twice and open heart surgery, Howard took part in a table tennis world record bid for the greatest number of successive shots played by successive players.

They won, grandson Sam Brandman recalls. Though he believes the record may have since been surpassed.

He remembers his late grandmother who he called “Glam” as a “formidable woman” with a wealth of knowledge to share.

“However, she lived alone and I felt sad that her brilliance was not shared with anyone.”

So, not long after his grandmother died, two-and-a-half years ago, Mr Brandman felt compelled to do something to ensure that other elderly folk did not have to spend their later years alone.

And so his concept Two Generations was born – a Homeshare model that helps link the older generation, with the younger generation.

Mr Brandman said it offers companionship, a chance to share experiences and common interests and a potential solution to the housing crisis.

“It offers companionship, the ability to share experiences and end loneliness. It allows people who might not ordinarily connect to connect,” he said.

His social enterprise, which is part of Homeshare UK, works by matching an elderly person with a younger person willing to help in a live-in homeshare arrangement.

Using the company’s in-house technology people were matched through shared hobbies, religious or cultural needs, gender, age and lifestyle choices.

The younger person will provide approximately 10 hours a week of household support such as gardening, shopping or laundry whilst also providing vital companionship.

Mr Brandman said it was a network, that proved particularly useful at a time of year when people sometimes felt the loneliness more keenly.

“We are often contacted by children of older people who live far away and who are unable to visit often, which shows that even those with family can experience isolation,” he said

One recent happy match is that of 91-year-old Dennis and Syrian refugee Jorge. The duo have been living together for the last six months in Camden.

Their common link – an interest in politics and food.

“It was the perfect fit,” Mr Brandman said.

Jorge said it was good to have someone to share a home with. “It’s nice to have someone to care about; going back to a home rather than being alone is wonderful. Dennis is really sweet,” he said.

“It’s been going really well and I hope it continues this way.”

For Dennis the company and the extra hand around the house was much appreciated. “He’s been doing most of the cooking, and it’s been lovely having a bit of company in the evening,” he said.

It is a project Mr Brandman hopes to refine – thanks to a £25,000 Nesta Challenges grant given to businesses working on solution to today’s societal problems.

With his grant Mr Brandman hopes to improve the matching-technology his company uses that he believes is a first in the homeshare sector. His plan is to hone its ability to link the elderly with a potential young person, in what he describes as a kind of “dating-website”.

Information on the site is protected from the public, and each person is subjected to thorough background checks and interviews before they are linked up with an elderly person.