1. 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

2. Males
25
Females
20
% who provide unpaid care
15
Carers of 10
working age: 5
0
Great Britain 5-15 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-74 75-84 85-90 90+
Women Men Women Men All
Number number % % %
All carers of 2,419,957 1,845,754 57 43 100
working age 100% 100%
Caring 1-19 1,680,528 1,359,269 55 45 100
hours pw 70% 74%
Caring 20-49 285,523 192,896 60 40 100
hours pw 12% 10%
Caring 50+ 453,906 293,589 61 39 100
hours pw 19% 16%
Source: 2001 Census Standard Tables, Crown Copyright.

3. Carers in
3%
employment
5%
Employee PT Female carers of
27%
working age
21% 60%
by economic activity
Employee FT status, GB
29%
Self-employed PT
3% 3%
3% Self-employed FT
3%
3%
Unemployed Early retired Student Looking after home/ family Permanently sick/ disabled Other
Carers in
employment
2%
7% Employee PT
4%
Male carers of
working age Employee FT
by economic 5%
74%
54%
activity status, 3%
GB Self-employed PT
6% 3%
Self-employed FT
12%
4%
Source: 2001 Census SARs,
Crown copyright
Unemployed Early retired Student Looking after home/ family Permanently sick/ disabled Other

4. Source: 2001 Census SARs, Crown Copyright 2004. 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
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
No care
Male Full-time
Female full-time
1-19 hours 20-49 hours
Male Part-time
Female part-time
Employees whose health is 'not good' by
50+ hours
employment status and caring responsibilities

5. 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 2009-10

6. Milestones: carers’ rights and entitlements to date
1985 ECJ Ruling, following Rules adjusted so that married women and men become entitled
test case to claim Invalid Care Allowance, previously only payable to single
women carers - can be claimed by low-paid employed people
1995 Carers (Recognition Introduced the concept of a Carer’s Assessment, to identify carers’
and Services) Act own needs for support in connection with their caring role
1999 Employment Gave all employees the right to ‘reasonable time off’ to deal with
Relations Act family emergencies
2000 Carers and Disabled Gave carers the right to an assessment of their own needs,
Children Act 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.
2002 Employment Act Established the right to request flexible working arrangements for
employed parents of disabled children under the age of 18
2004 Carers (Equal Placed a duty on local authorities to inform carers of their rights
Opportunities) Act and to consider their wishes regarding education, training and
employment when conducting Carers Assessments.
2006 Work & Families Act Extended the right to request flexible working arrangements to
many carers providing regular and substantial care (after 6 months in
employment).
2010 Equality Act following Made discrimination in association with a disabled
6 ECJ ruling, test case person illegal