Every year, millions of unpaid carers across the UK play a vital role in supporting family members, friends and neighbours who may be ill, disabled, elderly or living with mental health conditions. Yet many carers continue to struggle in silence, often without recognising themselves as carers or accessing the support available to them.
For employers, Carers Week, 8-14 June 2026, provides an important opportunity to recognise the contribution of unpaid carers within the workforce and to build more inclusive, supportive workplaces that enable employees to thrive both personally and professionally.
What is Carers Week?
Carers Week is an annual UK-wide campaign designed to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the enormous contribution they make to society. Led by Carers UK alongside partner charities, the campaign also helps people identify themselves as carers and access much-needed support.
The theme for Carers Week 2026 is “Building Carer Friendly Communities”, focusing on how workplaces, local communities and organisations can better recognise and support unpaid carers.
For employers, this theme is particularly relevant. A carer friendly workplace can have a profound impact on employee wellbeing, retention, engagement and inclusion.
What defines a carer?
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, friend or neighbour who could not manage without their help due to illness, disability, addiction, mental health challenges or age-related needs.
Importantly, this does not refer to professional care workers employed in health or social care roles. Many unpaid carers do not think of themselves as carers at all – they simply see themselves as a husband, wife, parent, sibling, friend or child helping someone they love. What’s more, many carers are also working parents, creating additional pressures as they juggle careers, childcare and caring responsibilities simultaneously.
Caring responsibilities can vary significantly. Some carers may help with shopping, transport or attending appointments, while others provide intensive daily personal care or emotional support.
The scale of unpaid caring in the UK
There are an estimated 5.8 million unpaid carers in the UK, with many balancing their caring role alongside employment. The economic value of unpaid care is estimated at £184 billion annually – often described as equivalent to a second NHS.
Young carers are another often overlooked group. As we covered in our earlier article on supporting young carers, there are an estimated 800,000 young carers in the UK, with many providing emotional support, household help and practical care for family members while continuing with education.
Young carers can experience increased stress, anxiety, social isolation and educational disruption. Without appropriate support, caring responsibilities can have long-term impacts on wellbeing and future career opportunities.
The impact of caring on employee wellbeing
While caring can be deeply meaningful, it can also place considerable emotional, physical and financial strain on individuals.
Employees with caring responsibilities may experience:
- Stress and burnout from balancing competing demands
- Fatigue and sleep disruption
- Anxiety about loved ones
- Financial pressures
- Difficulty maintaining work-life balance
- Feelings of guilt, isolation or overwhelm
Research from Carers UK found that more than half of carers report feeling overwhelmed often or always.
Without employer support, carers may reduce their hours, decline promotions or leave employment entirely. This can result in increased absenteeism, presenteeism and staff turnover for organisations.
How employers can support employees who are carers
Supportive employers can make a significant difference by helping to alleviate some of the emotional strain carers experience. Simply feeling understood and supported at work can improve mental wellbeing, resilience and employee loyalty. Often, practical flexibility and compassionate leadership can go a long way.
Some effective ways employers can support carers include:
Creating flexible working options:
Flexible working arrangements can help carers manage appointments, emergencies and day-to-day caring responsibilities more effectively.
This may include:
- Hybrid or remote working
- Flexible hours
- Compressed hours
- Temporary adjusted workloads
- Additional carers leave policies
Providing flexibility demonstrates trust and understanding, helping employees remain productive while managing caring demands.
Reviewing wellbeing support:
Employers should ensure wellbeing resources are accessible and inclusive of carers’ needs.
This could include:
- Employee Assistance Programmes
- Mental health support
- Financial wellbeing guidance
- Signposting to external carers organisations
- Occupational health support
Developing carer-friendly policies:
Clear policies help normalise caring responsibilities within the workplace and ensure consistency in support. Carers UK provides practical guidance for employers through its Carer Friendly Company Blueprint, which outlines steps organisations can take to create more supportive workplace cultures.
The blueprint encourages organisations to focus on areas such as leadership, policies, communication, workplace culture and employee support networks.
Line manager and leadership support:
Line managers play a crucial role in shaping employee experience. Training managers to recognise signs of stress and have supportive conversations about caring responsibilities can help employees feel safe disclosing their situation.
Visible leadership support is important too. When senior leaders speak openly about caring responsibilities, it helps reduce stigma and creates a culture where employees feel understood and supported.
Needless to say, a culture where carers feel able to speak openly without fear of judgement is essential – and both line managers and leaders can play a big part in delivering this.
Conclusion
Unpaid carers contribution to society is immense, yet many continue to experience emotional strain, exhaustion and isolation. By creating carer friendly policies, encouraging open conversations and building supportive communities within organisations, employers can help build cultures where carers feel valued rather than overwhelmed. In doing so, organisations and their leaders not only support their employee wellbeing, but also foster a more inclusive, loyal and resilient workforce.
