Carers Week 2025: How employers can champion equality for carers in the workplace

Carers Week 2025 (9-15th June) calls on employers to recognise and address the inequalities faced by unpaid carers – those who provide essential support to family or friends who couldn’t manage without them.

The theme this year, ‘Caring About Equality’, challenges us all to look at how our workplaces can become more inclusive, supportive, and equitable for the growing number of employees juggling work with caring responsibilities.

Why it matters to your organisation

Unpaid carers make up a significant and often hidden portion of your workforce. Over 2.5 million people combine paid work with unpaid caring – 9% of the UK workforce, many aged 45–65 and in senior or mid-career roles. Yet most employers do not track caring responsibilities, and carers are often reluctant to disclose them, fearing judgment or inaction.

Ignoring carers in your workforce can lead to increased absenteeism, burnout, talent loss, and reduced productivity. But with the right support, carers can thrive, and so can your organisation.

Understanding the impact of caring

The challenges carers face often go unseen but have serious implications:

• 70% of carers have a long-term health condition or disability
• Carers are 50% more likely to live in poverty than non-carers
• 1 in 4 working carers has had to reduce their role or salary to manage care
• Young adult carers are 38% less likely to achieve a university degree
• Carers frequently feel excluded, undervalued, and unsupported – at work and in wider society. Many say they only get help when they’re in crisis.

What working carers need from you

Managers play a pivotal role in creating a carer-friendly culture. Based on feedback from carers, these are the most impactful forms of support:

• Recognition and validation – simply being seen and acknowledged makes a difference.
• • Flexible working policies – flexibility in hours, location, and expectations is critical.
• • Informed, empathetic managers – training can help leaders understand and respond better.
• • Accessible support – resources should be tailored to carers’ needs and easy to access, without creating extra work.

What you can do today

This Carers Week, take a few minutes to reflect on your workplace practices. Ask:

• Do we know who our working carers are?
• Do our current policies truly support them—or just look good on paper?
• Do managers feel equipped to have supportive conversations about caring?
• How can we better retain our carers and prevent burnout?

Simple steps can make a big difference, such as:

• Including caring responsibilities in staff surveys and HR records.
• Promoting carer-friendly policies and flexible working practices
• Providing training for managers on supporting carers.
• Creating peer networks or support groups for carers within your organisation.

Leading by example

Carers deserve equal opportunity to succeed and flourish at work and in life. As HR professionals and managers, we are in a powerful position to ensure that no carer in our workplace feels invisible or unsupported.

Written by Catherine Macadam and Katharine Collins
Co-Founders and Directors, Coaching for Unpaid Carers CIC