Unpaid carers are having to give up work in the struggle to balance their responsibilities, according to support groups and an MP campaigning to change the law.
North East Fife politician Wendy Chamberlain revealed how some people are forced to give up wages as she pushes to secure a statutory right for an extra five days of unpaid leave for carers.
It follows wide concerns among carers’ networks and a campaign to get businesses on side.
‘They can’t make it work’
Speaking to The Stooshie, the politics podcast from DC Thomson, Ms Chamberlain said: “If an unpaid carer has a regular hospital appointment to take the person they care for to, often they are having to take emergency leave or use annual leave days, which isn’t ideal.
“Or, as we have found, they have given up work altogether because they can’t make it work.”
Ms Chamberlain said her own constituents are losing money in the balancing act.
“Another has a big challenge because if she works too many hours she loses her carer’s allowance and ends up in a worse off position,” she said.
“Another one lives in Ladybank but cares for her elderly parents in St Andrews and then has to go to work in the Levenmouth area, and that is a lot of admin and travel to juggle.
“Fife Carers also told me they don’t have time to do what they actually want to do, which is care for their loved ones, because there is so much admin and organisation to do.”
‘Caring is a very intense full time job’
The concerns were echoed by carers living in Perthshire.
Raymond Jamieson, manager of PKAVS Carers’ Centre in Perth, said many leave their jobs because “caring has to take priority”.
He said: “Some here are having to go from full time to part time and some are giving up work altogether.
“Caring is a very intense full time job in its own right.”
Services for unpaid carers are often during the working week, adding to the problems.
Mr Jamieson said: “You might find there is a training opportunity for unpaid carers that would be really helpful but it is at 2pm on a Wednesday.
“So the employer needs to see that as beneficial as well to let the employee take that time.”
He added PKAVS has seen the number of carers registered with them increase by 43% over the course of the coronavirus pandemic as many didn’t realise they were carers and needed help and support until the lockdown started.
New law could help 2.4m people
Ms Chamberlain has since put forward a private member’s bill in the House of Commons in a bid to introduce the right for unpaid carers to take up to five days of unpaid leave a year from their work.
The business benefits are absolutely clear.
– Wendy Chamberlain
She said there is “much more” to do in this area, but said it could have a “huge” impact as 2.4 million people could benefit.
Ms Chamberlain added: “If businesses give flexibility to their employees to manage their responsibilities outside of work, you get much better productivity from them and you are more likely to retain them in the longer-term.
“The business benefits are absolutely clear.”
She said she already has cross-party support for her proposals and has had a “constructive” discussion with the government on it.
The Conservatives had proposed leave for unpaid carers in their party manifesto, but it was not brought up in the latest Queen’s Speech when they set out their plans for government.
Ms Chamberlains’ Carers Leave Bill is due to be debated in the House of Commons on October 21.
You can hear the full interview as part of the latest Stooshie episode here.
