Slides: supporting unpaid carers in the workplace

A lived experience perspective

Over a million informal carers in the UK are living in poverty and according to research published in September 2024 by Carers UK one in 10 are experiencing such extreme hardship that they struggle to afford to eat regularly or heat their homes. According to the 2022/23 Family Resources Survey, an estimated 8% of people in the UK are carers, equating to 5.2 million carers in England. Of this 8%, females are more likely to be unpaid care providers, with 3.1 million female carers versus 2 million male carers.

This Public Policy Exchange event aimed to provide key stakeholders – including informal carers, local authorities, charities, and schools – with an opportunity to examine the current situation facing informal carers in the UK and existing government support and discuss avenues for improving and widening opportunities and access to support for carers.

Dr Zofia Bajorek was a key speaker and her presentation includes both professional insights into carers and employment, the role of employers and government policy, and her own lived experience as an unpaid carer.