Key takeaways
Current unpaid leave under scrutiny
Government exploring paid and extended leave models.
Focus on flexibility for carers and parents
Options include situational entitlements for serious illness care.
Public consultation planned for 2026
Employers may need to adapt policies to new statutory rights.
The Department for Business and Trade recently published terms of reference for an internal government review of the employment rights of unpaid carers. The review has already commenced and is expected to conclude by Autumn 2026.
The government begin by noting that unpaid carers make a valuable contribution to society. The terms of reference also confirm the government’s commitment to help carers enter, remain in and progress in the workforce, whilst balancing their work and caring responsibilities.
In summary, the review into the employment rights of unpaid carers will:
Consider how the existing right to unpaid carer's leave is working in practice and whether there are barriers to take-up of this leave entitlement; and
Examine options for different models of carer’s leave including:
a paid leave entitlement;
a one-off extended unpaid leave entitlement;
a paid leave entitlement for the parents of seriously ill children; and/or
other situational paid leave entitlements to support carers in specific circumstances (such as individuals providing end of life care).
The terms of reference also confirm the government’s intention to issue a public consultation on employment support for unpaid carers and support for parents of seriously ill children. This will include consideration of ‘Hugh’s Law’, which aims to provide financial support and leave for parents in the days and months following their child being diagnosed with a serious illness.
