Policies, practices and challenges in supporting carers in paid work in the UK

Transcription

1 Policies, practices and challenges in supporting carers in paid work in the UK Professor Sue Yeandle, CIRCLE Centre for International Research on Care, Labour & Equalities University of Leeds, UK International Workshop on Research on Policy and Care in Liberal and Social Democracies, March 14, 2011 SPRC, University of New South Wales, Australia

2 Outline of the paper/presentation Introduction Carers in the UK: combining work and care Employment policies supporting carers Employment practices Concluding remarks 6m carers of a relative/friend who is ill, disabled or frail: Disabled children Sick and disabled adults Older people, including growing numbers with dementia Terminally ill people People with mental health problems or with learning difficulties People with drug, alcohol or substance abuse problems

3 % who provide unpaid care Age and sex profile of carers providing unpaid care to a sick, disabled or older person 25 Males Females Source: 2001 Census Standard Tables, Crown Copyright 2003.

4 Main financial support: carers of working age Carers Allowance pw - for carers earning less than 100 pw & caring for someone for 35+ hours pw who receives Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance Employment & Support Allowance For those too ill to work replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support Carer Premium Up to an extra pw for some carers on Income Support, incomebased Jobseekers' Allowance, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit NOTE some changes may follow in 2011 new Welfare Reform Bill

5 Carers of Working Age: Great Britain 2001 Census Women number Men number Women % Men % All % All Carers of WA 2,419,957 1,845, Caring 1-19 hrs 1,680,528 70% 1,359,269 74% Caring hrs 285,523 12% 192,896 10% Caring 50+ hrs 453,906 19% 293,589 16% Source: 2001 Census Standard Tables, Crown Copyright.

6 Source: 2001 Census Standard Tables, Crown Copyright Employment rate by weekly caring responsibility: people of working age, 2001 Source: 2001 Census, Crown Copyright 2003

7 Female carers of working age by economic activity status, Great Britain (n = 2.4 million) 5% 3% Carers in employment Employee PT 27% 21% 60% 3% Employee FT 29% Self-employed PT 3% 3% Self-employed FT 3% 3% Unemployed Early retired Student Looking after home/ family Permanently sick/ disabled Other Source: 2001 Census SARs, Crown copyright.

8 Male carers of working age by economic activity status, Great Britain (n = 1.8 million) 7% 2% Carers in employment Employee PT 4% 5% 3% 74% Employee FT 54% 6% 4% Self-employed PT 3% Self-employed FT 12% Unemployed Early retired Student Looking after home/ family Permanently sick/ disabled Other Source: 2001 Census SARs, Crown copyright.

9 Source: 2001 Census Standard Tables, Crown Copyright 2003 * Note: Self assessment of own health over the previous 12 months Percentage of people with poor health People of working age whose health was not good*, by sex and weekly hours of caring No care 1-19 hours hours 50 or more hours Men Women

10 Source: 2001 Census SARs, Crown Copyright This work is based on the SARs provided through the Centre for Census and Survey Research of the University of Manchester with the support of ESRC and JISC Percentage of people of working age in employment Employees whose health is 'not good' by employment status and caring responsibilities No care 1-19 hours hours 50+ hours Male Full-time Female full-time Male Part-time Female part-time

11 Giving up work to care Is sometimes what a carers wants, but often Leads to big reductions in income which Carers Allowance does not replace Cuts carers off from earning a pension for their own retirement Leaves some carers extremely socially isolated May make it difficult ever to return to work, as confidence, skills and contacts are lost Often causes extra pressure, as caring becomes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without a break

12 Combining caring with employment: key issues which make this possible for over 4 million carers Employees Need flexible support at work to combine work and care new rights and services are now in place - used by a minority, need to raise awareness Managers and employers Often want to retain and support employees who become carers Need guidance and support in doing this Experience shows there are significant benefits The state Has put legislation in place to support working carers Will be giving new support to carers wanting to return to work Now acknowledges it needs to act (Carers Strategy)

13 Recent legislation/national policy affecting carers, UK Date Legislation or National Policy 1976 Social Security (Invalid Care Allowance) Regulations 1995 Carers (Recognition and Services) Act st National Strategy for Carers: Caring About Carers 1999 Employment Relations Act 2000 Carers and Disabled Children Act 2002 Employment Act 2004 Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act Applies in England and Wales only 2006 Work and Families Act nd National Strategy for Carers: Carers at the Heart of 21st century families & communities 2010 Equality Act 2010 Recognised, Valued & Supported: Next Steps for the Carers Strategy Coalition Government

14 Flexible working options available under right to request legislation Flexi time/choosing when to work: usually with core period during which the employee must work Annualised hours: worked out over a year, often with some set shifts and options re other hours Compressed hours: agreed hours are worked over fewer days - e.g. 9 day fortnight Staggered hours: different starting, break and finishing times for employees in the same workplace Job sharing: sharing a job designed for one person with someone else Homeworking: working from home Part time: working less than the normal hours, perhaps by working fewer days per week

15 Employment practices Flexible working arrangements more widespread Employers agree most requests made under new law Employers for Carers Close link with carers movement (Carers UK) Good practice guidance, research, lobbying Regular events and website with extra support for members Membership includes: telecommunications, utilities, manufacturing, police, voluntary sector, retail, education, health, local authorities, consulting, insurance. Social and Business Benefits of Supporting Working Carers research

16 Arrangements for non-managerial employees, workplaces included in WERS 1998 and 2004 % of continuing workplaces Flexible working arrangement Switching from full-time to part-time hours Flexitime Job-sharing Homeworking Term-time only Annualised hours 8 13 Zero hours contracts 3 5 Leave arrangements Parental leave Paid paternity/discretionary leave for fathers Special paid leave in emergencies Base: All continuing workplaces with 10+employees in 1998 & Figs weighted/based on responses from 847 managers. Source: Workplace Employment Relations Survey

17 How employees benefit How the business benefits Enhanced self-esteem, loyalty, responsibility and autonomy A better atmosphere at work More effective communication Reciprocity we all work better when we are here Peace of mind, happier at home and at work Source: Who Cares Wins report (2006): Yeandle et al, London: Carers UK Productivity gains Cost savings recruitment, systems accommodation Customer satisfaction goes up More creativity and energy in the workforce Reduced sick leave Lower staff turnover A trust-based relationship worth its weight in gold

18 Concluding Remarks Backdrop: rising employment, commitment to work-life balance ; rising spending on innovations for carers Post 2008 new Coalition Government, major public spending cuts, increased unemployment 6m carers - needed because of demography not cuts PT employment strong feature for women, & increasing Key features in the UK: Strong carers movement Carers firmly on public policy agenda Trend towards flexibility in employment practices Direct engagement of employers But - will carers rights, support, recognition survive?

19 The Carers Employment and Services Report Series Yeandle et al London: Carers UK,

20 Further information CIRCLE Centre for International Research on Care, Labour and Equalities Professor Sue Yeandle Address: CIRCLE, Department of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds, LEEDS, LS2 9JT Tel +44 (0) / +44 (0) s.m.yeandle@leeds.ac.uk