Northern Ireland urged to lead the way in support for unpaid carers

Carers NI has welcomed the proposal within the Good Jobs Bill to grant carers a legal right to access five days of unpaid leave from work to fulfil their caring responsibilities. This move aims to help more people balance employment with their unpaid caring roles and bring Northern Ireland in line with England, Scotland, and Wales, where unpaid carers have had this right since 6 April 2024.

However, Carers NI expressed disappointment that the opportunity was not taken for Northern Ireland to lead the way by offering paid carers leave. Providing paid leave would ensure that all unpaid carers in employment can access the right to five days of leave to fulfil their caring duties without the worry of losing much-needed pay.

Angela Phillips, senior policy officer at Carers NI, highlighted the struggles faced by carers, stating, “Many people with caring roles in Northern Ireland want and need to stay in paid work, but the lack of support to juggle employment with caring often makes that impossible. The proposal for unpaid carers leave is welcome and an important start, but in the current cost of living crisis and with 1 in 4 unpaid carers living in poverty in Northern Ireland, not all carers will be able to afford to lose pay and take up this support.”

Phillips urged the government to take a more progressive step: “Northern Ireland has an opportunity here to lead the way and go one step further by providing carers with five days paid carers leave. This would ensure that no carer is disadvantaged financially because of their caring role and that all are able to avail of this critical support. The Assembly has already stated its support for that policy, and we would urge the Minister to include it in the final Bill.”

Carers NI’s call for paid leave comes as part of a broader effort to provide better support for the estimated 220,000 unpaid carers in Northern Ireland, many of whom struggle to balance their caring duties with work, especially amid the current cost of living crisis. Implementing paid carers leave would represent a significant step forward in recognising and supporting the vital role that carers play in society.