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Thursday, October 1, 2026

Boost for carers who will receive new unpaid leave entitlement under government-backed law - GOV.UK

New laws introduced entitling unpaid carers to 1 week of unpaid leave a year.

  • new laws introduced entitling unpaid carers to 1 week of unpaid leave a year to support those most in need
  • eligible employees will be able to take Carer’s Leave regardless of how long they have worked for their employer

Millions of people across the UK who are currently providing unpaid care to dependant family members or friends will be entitled to unpaid leave under new laws backed by the government today (Friday 21 October).

Around 2 million of those providing unpaid care are thought to be doing so while balancing work alongside their caring responsibilities. With no dedicated statutory leave entitlement for these informal carers currently in place, many have to resort to taking other forms of leave to ensure they can care for those dependent on them.

The Carer’s Leave Bill, introduced by Wendy Chamberlain MP and backed by the government, will introduce a new and highly flexible entitlement of one week’s unpaid leave per year for employees who are providing or arranging care.

Carer’s Leave will be available to eligible employees from the first day of their employment, meaning unpaid carers will be supported regardless of how long they’ve worked with their employer. Staff will be able to take the leave flexibly to suit their caring responsibilities and will not need to provide evidence of how the leave is used or who it will be used for, ensuring a smoother process for both businesses and...



Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmdvdi51ay9nb...