Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that working unpaid carers in (a) City of Durham and (b) England are supported to remain in work.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government recognises the crucial role unpaid carers play, especially during this difficult period.
On 8th April we published guidance for unpaid carers on GOV.UK, which includes general advice on infection control, advice on caring where someone has symptoms, how to create care plans, how to make alternative care arrangements at short notice and access links to various NHS resources.
We have provided additional funding to Carers UK’s helpline, information and support services, to help more carers access trusted information and advice. We also continue to signpost carers to the charity’s website for additional information and support during this pandemic.
We are committed to supporting carers in the City of Durham and across the country to remain in work, recognising the challenges of balancing work and care also in the longer term.
This is why the Government is now consulting on proposals to introduce Carer’s Leave, to support working people who are also carers to balance employment with their caring responsibilities.
This Government is also clear about the benefits of flexible working for employers and for their employees, including those with caring responsibilities. In our manifesto we said that, subject to consultation, we would introduce measures to make flexible working the default.