Work & volunteering · England
Having a job and caring for someone
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You may have a job and also care for someone.
You can ask about help to manage both.
Tell work about your caring role
You might care for a relative, partner or friend.
Caring can include helping or arranging support.
Tell your employer what would help you.
Ask about their leave and flexible working policies.
Check which rights apply to your job.
An employee has different rights from a self-employed person.
Leave for caring
Some employees can take carer’s leave.
This helps with planned care for someone with longer-term needs.
The legal allowance is one working week in 12 months.
It can be taken in smaller parts.
You must give notice.
Carer’s leave is usually unpaid.
Your employer may offer more help.
Emergencies and flexible work
Different rules cover unexpected emergencies.
Tell your employer as soon as you can.
Explain how long you expect to be away.
You can ask to change your working hours or location.
This is called flexible working.
Your employer must consider a statutory request properly.
Your employer may refuse a request for a legal reason.
Ask about other options and get the decision in writing.
Check money and support
Check money and benefit changes before reducing your hours.
Ask for advice before leaving your job.
Plan support with the person you care for.
Ask the council about replacement care if needed.
Ask your union or Acas if there is a problem.
Keep copies of requests and answers.
What you can do next
Carers UK explains choices and support for working carers.
The linked information uses longer words.
Read about work and caring Web pageFuller informationThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- Carers UK: work and career Web pageFuller information
Explore workplace rights, leave and practical choices.
- GOV.UK: unpaid carer’s leave Web pageFuller information
Eligibility, allowance and how to give notice.
- Acas: unexpected emergencies involving dependants Web pageFuller information
Explains emergency time off, pay and telling your employer.
- GOV.UK: request flexible working Web pageFuller information
What to put in a statutory request and how it is handled.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Working while caring for a family member or friend
Explore carer’s leave, emergencies, flexible working and support that helps you stay in work.
Unpaid carers in paid employment · England · Statutory leave depends on employment status
Start with the support you need
Caring may include helping a relative, partner or friend with daily life, appointments or arranging services. You do not have to receive Carer’s Allowance to ask about workplace support. Decide what would help: time for a planned appointment, an emergency absence or a longer-term change. Share only the personal information needed for that discussion.
Check your status and workplace policy
The statutory rights described here mainly apply to employees. Employment status depends on the real arrangement, not only the label in a contract. Other workers and self-employed people may have different rights. Check your contract and carer or special-leave policy: an employer may offer paid leave or more generous support than the legal minimum.
Planned carer’s leave
An eligible employee can take up to one usual working week of unpaid carer’s leave in each 12-month period, from their first day in the job. It is for giving or arranging care for a dependant with a qualifying long-term care need. A dependant can be someone who reasonably relies on you for care, not only a relative.
What counts as a long-term care need
The dependant must have a disability under the Equality Act, need care because of old age, or have an illness or injury requiring care for more than three months. The leave allowance is shared across the people you care for, not a separate week for each person. Ask Acas if you are unsure about your eligibility.
Notice and timing for carer’s leave
Leave can be taken in half days, whole days or a week. Notice is twice the number of days or part days requested, with a three-day minimum; use the Acas table to check. You need not apply in writing or provide evidence of the care need. Postponement is allowed only under specific disruption rules, with written reasons and alternative dates within one month.
Unexpected emergencies
Employees can take a reasonable amount of time off to deal with an unexpected problem involving a dependant, including a sudden breakdown in care. Tell the employer as soon as possible what happened and how long you expect to be away. This is usually unpaid unless the employer offers pay. It is different from booking routine time off in advance.
Request flexible working
Employees can make a statutory request from their first day. Possible changes concern hours, days, start and finish times or work location. State in writing that it is a statutory request, the change wanted, proposed start date and any previous request. You can make two requests in 12 months, with only one live request at a time.
Discuss the response
The employer must handle the request reasonably and consult before refusing it. The decision, including any appeal, should be completed within two months unless you agree an extension. A request can be refused for a permitted business reason; it is not an automatic right to the exact pattern requested. Discuss alternatives or a trial and record any agreement.
Check pay and arrange care together
Before changing hours, check wages, pension contributions and any benefits with an adviser. Agree whether a change is temporary or permanent and when it will be reviewed. Ask social care to consider your work when assessing support needs. Plan replacement and emergency care with the person you support; do not assume another relative can take over.
If you are treated unfairly
Keep dates, requests and responses. Employees have protections against dismissal or disadvantage for using statutory carer’s leave and related rights. Ask a union or Acas for advice if there is a problem. If you have your own disability, ask about reasonable adjustments as well. A caring role and your own disability involve different legal questions.
Get advice before giving up work
A carer’s assessment, workplace changes or replacement support may make working more manageable. Consider these options before resigning or signing changes you do not understand. Use the grievance process if needed, but seek prompt advice about legal deadlines rather than waiting for that process to finish. Carers UK provides practical work and career information.
Words you could use
“I combine work with unpaid caring. I would like to discuss the leave or working changes that could help, how the rules apply to me and when we will review the arrangement.”
More useful links
- Carers UK: work and career Web pageFuller information
Explore workplace rights, leave and practical choices.
- GOV.UK: unpaid carer’s leave Web pageFuller information
Eligibility, allowance and how to give notice.
- Acas: unexpected emergencies involving dependants Web pageFuller information
Explains emergency time off, pay and telling your employer.
- GOV.UK: request flexible working Web pageFuller information
What to put in a statutory request and how it is handled.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 1 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- GOV.UK: unpaid carer’s leave Web pageFuller information
Day-one entitlement, qualifying care needs, amount of leave and notice.
- Employment Rights Act 1996, section 80J Web page
Definitions of a dependant and a long-term care need.
- Carer’s Leave Regulations 2024 Web page
Calculating the allowance, notice including part days, and postponement requirements.
- Acas: carer’s leave Web pageFuller information
Practical examples, postponement rules and protection from disadvantage.
- Acas: time off for dependants Web pageFuller information
Reasonable emergency time off and notifying the employer.
- GOV.UK: applying for flexible working Web pageFuller information
Written requests, two requests a year and decision times.
- Acas: making a flexible-working request Web pageFuller information
Only one live request, extensions and practical request arrangements.
- Acas: flexible-working Code of Practice Web page
Consultation, business reasons, appeals and protection from detriment.
- Carers UK: work and career Web pageFuller information
Practical support with combining paid work and caring.
- GOV.UK: reasonable adjustments for disabled workers Web page
Separate rights where the employee has a disability.
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