Unpaid carers in work: what support do you need?
2 mins read
Wednesday 10 June 2026
A government consultation is asking unpaid carers and parents of seriously ill children what extra support you need to work.
Make Work Pay seeks to find out whether carers need further help to balance paid work with caring responsibilities.
The consultation includes reviewing unpaid carer’s leave, introduced in 2024, and consideration of a new paid carer’s leave alongside a “right to return” to work after a period of intensive caring. It also seeks views on a proposed Hugh’s Law. This would provide financial support and leave in the days and weeks following a child’s diagnosis of a serious illness.
The consultation asks for views on:
- The information and guidance currently available to support unpaid carers.
- Any further support that’s needed.
- Forms of support that would be helpful for both unpaid carers and parents with a seriously ill child.
Existing support for working carers includes flexible working, unpaid parental leave and unpaid carer’s leave. Some employers – like Contact – already offer paid carer’s leave for employees with disabled or seriously ill children. In 2025, the government introduced neonatal care leave and pay for working parents of babies admitted to neonatal care. Some parent carers are also entitled to benefits in work.
You can take part in the consultation online until 1 September 2026.