Five practical tips to support employees who have caring responsibilities

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Juggling work and caring responsibilities can be difficult for many. Here are a few things employers need to be aware of – and five practical ways you can support employees.

Without support from their employers, carers are at risk of giving up work to care. That’s according to research by Carers UK, which found that 40% of unpaid carers had left the workforce because of their caring responsibilities, while 22% had cut down on their working hours. Furthermore, 15% had done so because of a lack of support from their employer, with many carers reporting that the lack of employer support that had caused them stress and anxiety.

This highlights a critical need for employers to support working carers with balancing their job and personal commitments, and help them feel valued.

What does it mean to be a working carer? 

Some employees with caring responsibilities may not realise they’re a carer – they may think they’re just being helpful. In fact, on average, it takes a person two years to recognise themselves as a carer.

Typically, a carer is someone who looks after a family member, partner, or friend who needs help due to illness, frailty, disability, mental health or addiction and couldn’t cope without their support. And the care they give is unpaid.

By not shying away from talking about caring, you could help employees realise that they are, in fact, carers. This might encourage them to seek support, which could make a positive difference to their wellbeing.

Five ways to support working carers

It’s important to note that in April 2024, the Carer’s Leave Act 2023 came into force. This gives employees the right to take unpaid leave to look after a dependant – which could apply to some of your own employees.

Beyond mandatory measures, there are lots of ways you can support employees who are providing care. Here are five ideas to help you get started:

1. Provide flexible working 

Flexible working could make it easier for employees to manage their caring responsibilities. For example, flexible hours could allow an employee to take a loved one to hospital appointments,  without having to give up work completely. 

So it’s a good idea to check that the flexible working arrangements you provide line up with the potential needs of carers. You could even send out a survey to understand what would be most helpful to working carers. 

2. Set up a carers network

You could think about establishing a carers network to connect working carers with others in similar situations. 

This could provide a valuable space to share their experiences, and help reduce feelings of isolation. It can also give them the opportunity to discuss the support they’re receiving at work – which could give you useful insights and feedback. 

3. Signpost to carers charities

Working carers may benefit from getting guidance on managing the emotional, practical and financial sides of caring. But they might not always know where to start. Signposting them to specialist charities like Carers UK could provide a great starting point.

4. Provide manager training

Training can help managers identify the needs of the working carers and offer them the right support. It could also help them understand how to approach conversations about caring with sensitivity and understanding.

You could share materials with managers to help them understand what caring can involve so they have a better idea of how employees are affected.

5. Support the emotional impact of caring

Employees may find it harder to balance work with caring responsibilities if they’re feeling overwhelmed. Offering an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) could provide the support employees need to reduce their stress.

How caring responsibilities can impact employees’ financial futures

Caring responsibilities can have a knock-on effect on employees’ future income in retirement. For instance, a reduction in working hours could lower the level of contributions going into their pension pot – including those from their employer. That means they could end up with less money in retirement. Leaving work can also have an impact on the amount of State Pension they get, as they may not have enough qualifying years. 

According to research by Carers UK, 76% of carers aged 18-64 in paid employment are worried about their ability to save for the future. So it’s important for employees to understand how caring responsibilities in the here and now could affect their retirement. 

You could help by pointing employees towards resources that allow them to see how much they might need to fund their ideal retirement lifestyle, such as the PLSA’s Retirement Living Standards. This shows employees how much annual income they’d need to cover a minimum, moderate, and comfortable standard of living in retirement. 

Employees can also use Standard Life’s Mixed Income Builder tool. This shows them if they're able to reach the minimum income needed each year to cover their essential costs, based on the PLSA's Retirement Living Standards. It also shows employees if purchasing an annuity could help, by converting some of the money in their pension pots into a guaranteed income for life.

We based this article on our upcoming ‘Midlife Matters: Caring’ Good Money Moods webinar. Employees can sign up to secure their place here.

To find out more about our webinars and how they help power-up your employees’ financial knowledge, visit our Good Money Moods page.

The information here is based on our understanding in June 2025.

Standard Life accepts no responsibility for information on external websites. These are provided for general information.