Carers of working age: experience in Great Britain Professor Sue Yeandle CIRCLE Centre for International Research on Care, Labour & Equalities University of Leeds International Federation on Ageing Conference 2012 Panel: Care and Support for Caregivers

Carers of working age: Great Britain Women Number Men number Women % Men % All % All carers of working age 2,419, % 1,845, % Caring 1-19 hours pw 1,680,528 70% 1,359,269 74% Caring hours pw 285,523 12% 192,896 10% Caring 50+ hours pw 453,906 19% 293,589 16% Source: 2001 Census Standard Tables, Crown Copyright.

Female carers of working age by economic activity status, GB Male carers of working age by economic activity status, GB Source: 2001 Census SARs, Crown copyright

Employees whose health is 'not good' by employment status and caring responsibilities 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

Milestones: services that work for carers Local carers centres – informal network of 280 centres now offers support of different types in many parts of the country Carers Strategies 1999, 2008, 2010 – official recognition of carers’ contribution and identification of their needs for support and flexibility Carers’ Assessments – from 2000 the legal entitlement of carers supporting someone with recognised care needs Breaks and Respite – offered to some carers in all local authorities Planning for emergencies/carer absence: many schemes introduced, recognising real issues in carers’ lives Carers Grant Funding to local authorities from 2001 – spending on programmes to promote innovations in carer support through engagement with voluntary sector agencies and the involvement of carers Modernisation and personalisation of social care - through Direct Payments / Individual Budgets, some carers have gained more control over their own lives. 33,000 carers had a DP to help them stay in work in

Milestones: carers’ rights and entitlements to date ECJ Ruling, following test case Rules adjusted so that married women and men become entitled to claim Invalid Care Allowance, previously only payable to single women carers - can be claimed by low-paid employed people 1995 Carers (Recognition and Services) Act Introduced the concept of a Carer’s Assessment, to identify carers’ own needs for support in connection with their caring role 1999 Employment Relations Act Gave all employees the right to ‘reasonable time off’ to deal with family emergencies 2000 Carers and Disabled Children Act Gave carers the right to an assessment of their own needs, allowing them to receive services in their own right, and in applicable cases offering parents of disabled children direct payments to manage on their child’s behalf Employment Act Established the right to request flexible working arrangements for employed parents of disabled children under the age of Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act Placed a duty on local authorities to inform carers of their rights and to consider their wishes regarding education, training and employment when conducting Carers Assessments Work & Families Act Extended the right to request flexible working arrangements to many carers providing regular and substantial care (after 6 months in employment) Equality Act following ECJ ruling, test case Made discrimination in association with a disabled person illegal