News

UK government consults on unpaid carer rights

10 June 2026

As part of its review of unpaid carers’ employment rights, the government has opened a consultation highlighting different options for improving support. These could include increasing the amount of unpaid leave carers can take, introducing paid leave, or giving carers a right to return to work after longer absences. Parents of seriously ill children could qualify for additional paid time off work.

Evidence gathered from responses to the consultation will help the government understand which actions would be most effective in helping carers remain and progress in work. Any subsequent policy proposals will balance the needs of carers with those of employers and the wider economy.

In April 2024, the previous government introduced a week’s unpaid leave to allow employees time off work to support dependants with a long-term health condition or a need related to old age. When it took office, the current government launched a review into how the right works in practice and whether it could do more to support carers and help them remain economically active.

A new consultation exercise focuses on employment rights for carers and the parents of seriously ill children and explores different options for reform. It asks for views on which approach would deliver practical benefits for carers and employers while representing value for money for taxpayers.

The consultation does not propose specific reforms but seeks views on a range of different approaches. Options the government may consider include:

Extending the existing right to a week’s unpaid carer’s leave to a period of between six and ten days, although respondents can propose other durations.
Introducing a short period of paid carer’s leave, of up to five days, funded at a suitable rate. The consultation highlights 90% or 50% of normal pay, flat rate statutory family related pay (currently £194.32 a week) or statutory sick pay as possible options.
Giving employees who need a longer period off work, perhaps to help someone who has a serious illness or needs end of life care, greater job security through a right to return to work.
Offering the parents of seriously ill children an extended period of paid time off work, probably lasting somewhere between one and 12 weeks.

Next steps

The consultation remains open until 1 September 2026.

The government emphasises that its priority when formulating proposals is to help carers enter work, remain at work or progress in work. Policy decisions will need to balance the needs of carers with the costs for and impact on employers and the wider public finances. The consultation paper stresses that the government has not decided which reforms, if any, to take forward at this stage.

Authored by Jo Broadbent and Stefan Martin.