• 41% of unpaid carers have given up work to provide unpaid care.
• 57% of unpaid carers who have stopped working or reduced hours at work to care said they had done so because of the stress of juggling work and care.
• 20% of unpaid carers who have given up work or reduced their working hours to care said that having the ability to take time off through unpaid carer’s leave would help them return to paid employment or increase their working hours.

A new report by Carers Wales and Carers UK shows that caring commitments for relatives or friends who are older, disabled or seriously ill are having a significant impact on people’s capacity to work and earn a full time wage.

The ONS Census 2021 found that in Wales, there are over 144,000 unpaid carers in employment (excluding full time students). Carers Wales research in 2019 found that the number of unpaid carers combining caring with paid employment could be as high as 223,000 people in Wales; 1 in 7 of all workers.

Caring increases the risks of poorer health and wellbeing, poverty and impacts on businesses and the economy. For Carers Rights Day (Thursday 23^rd November, 2023) Carers Wales is highlighting new UK-wide legislation set to give carers further support and protection in the workplace.

The Carer’s Leave Act, coming into force in April 2024 at the earliest, will give carers the right to take up to five days of unpaid carer’s leave. A new Flexible Working Act, due to come into effect in 2024, will also give employees the right to ask their employer for flexible working from day one of their employment.  

Claire Morgan, Director at Carers Wales, said:

“Many carers would prefer to stay in work, but face the impossible choice of having to juggle work with caring responsibilities in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis which is already disproportionately impacting on unpaid carers.

“Not only is there a moral case for employers to support their staff with caring responsibilities, but there is a business case as well. Businesses that we work with via our Employers for Carers service have seen reduced recruitment costs and improved staff morale and wellbeing, having introduced carer confident policies.

“Unpaid carers play a vital role in our society, at Carers Wales we want to see more employers in Wales go further to support staff with caring responsibilities. Carers Wales stands ready to support them to do this.”

Employers can make a valuable difference when it comes to retaining carers in employment and supporting unpaid carers to return to work.

• 74% of carers said that flexible working helps them to juggle work and care.
• 70% of carers said that working from home some of the time would help them.
• 56% of carers said that recognition of their caring role by their employer would support them in balancing work and care.

The report sets out recommendations for the UK Government, Welsh Government and employers in Wales to improve carers rights today, tomorrow and in the future, such as:

• Employers should consider being “early adopters” of the new legislation and to go one step further and introduce the leave as paid carer’s leave, making it even more accessible to employees. 
• The benefits of this legislation could be further enhanced by measures to help carers juggle work and care within the benefits system. The UK Government should be increasing the earnings limit on Carer’s Allowance to 21 times the National Living Wage and should introduce a dedicated Work Allowance for carers in receipt of Universal Credit.
• The Welsh Government should review how measures to support carers in employment align with the aspirations to embed Fair Work in Wales. They should utilise the Workforce Partnership Council and the Social Partnership Council to formulate steps to spread awareness of the incoming legislation and promote the adoption of best practice measures to support carers in employment.

For more information visit the Employers for Carers Wales website.

- ENDS – 

Notes to Editor  

Carers UK carried out an online survey between June and August 2023, receiving a total of 10,751 responses from current unpaid carers.  

Of respondents to the survey: 

• 80% are female, 19% are male and 1% have a different gender identity than their sex registered at birth
• 32% have been caring for more than 15 years, 15% have been caring for 10-14 years, 24% have been caring for 5-9 years, 26% have been caring for 1-4 years and 3% less for less than a year
• 47% care for 90 hours a week or more, 15% care for 50-90 hours, 24% care for 20-49 hours and 15% care for 19 hours or less

About Employers for Carers Wales 

Carers Wales’s business forum, Employers for Carers Wales, is a group of more than 220 British employers who are committed to supporting carers in the workplace and now reach over 3.5 million employees across the UK.  

Businesses can get prepared for the implementation of the Carer’s Leave Act with its standalone set of resources. Developed with the expert knowledge of our in-house team, this support package will get you ready and prepared for supporting carers in your workforce. 

About Carers Wales 

Carers Wales is a charity led by carers, for carers – our mission is to make life better for carers. 

• We give expert advice, information, and support
• We connect carers so no-one has to care alone
• We campaign together for lasting change
• We innovate to find new ways to reach and support carers

For practical advice and information about caring, go to https://www.carersuk.org/wales/ or email info@carerswales.org or call our helpline on 0808 808 7777. 

The Carers UK Forum is our online community of carers and is available to Carers Wales members 24 hours a day, 365 days a year: www.carersuk.org/forum. 

Website:          www.carersuk.org./wales 

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/carerswales

Twitter:            @CarersWales 

Carers UK is a charity registered in England and Wales (246329) and in Scotland (SC039307) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (864097). 

• Mae 41% o ofalwyr di-dâl wedi rhoi'r gorau i weithio i ddarparu gofal di-dâl.
• Dywedodd 57% o ofalwyr di-dâl sydd wedi rhoi'r gorau i weithio neu leihau oriau gwaith i ofalu eu bod wedi gwneud hynny oherwydd y straen o jyglo gwaith a gofal.
• Dywedodd 20% o ofalwyr di-dâl sydd wedi rhoi’r gorau i’w gwaith neu wedi lleihau eu horiau gwaith i ofalu y byddai cael y gallu i gymryd amser i ffwrdd drwy absenoldeb gofalwr di-dâl yn eu helpu i ddychwelyd i gyflogaeth â thâl neu gynyddu eu horiau gwaith.

Mae adroddiad newydd gan Gofalwyr Cymru a Carers UK yn dangos bod ymrwymiadau gofalu am berthnasau neu ffrindiau sy’n hŷn, yn anabl neu’n ddifrifol wael yn cael effaith sylweddol ar allu pobl i weithio ac ennill cyflog llawn amser.

Canfu Cyfrifiad 2021 y Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol fod dros 144,000 o ofalwyr di-dâl mewn cyflogaeth yng Nghymru (ac eithrio myfyrwyr amser llawn). Canfu ymchwil gan Gofalwyr Cymru yn 2019 y gallai nifer y gofalwyr di-dâl sy’n cyfuno gofalu â chyflogaeth â thâl fod mor uchel â 223,000 o bobl yng Nghymru; 1 o bob 7 o'r holl weithwyr.

Mae gofalu yn cynyddu’r risgiau o iechyd a llesiant gwaeth, tlodi ac yn effeithio ar fusnesau a’r economi. Ar gyfer Diwrnod Hawliau Gofalwyr (Dydd Iau 23 Tachwedd, 2023) mae Gofalwyr Cymru yn tynnu sylw at ddeddfwriaeth newydd ledled y DU sydd wedi’i gosod i roi cymorth ac amddiffyniad pellach i ofalwyr yn y gweithle.

Bydd y Ddeddf Absenoldeb Gofalwr, sy’n dod i rym ym mis Ebrill 2024 ar y cynharaf, yn rhoi’r hawl i ofalwyr gymryd hyd at bum niwrnod o absenoldeb gofalwr di-dâl. Bydd Deddf Gweithio Hyblyg newydd, sydd i ddod i rym yn 2024, hefyd yn rhoi’r hawl i weithwyr ofyn i’w cyflogwr am weithio hyblyg o’r diwrnod cyntaf o’u gweithwyr cyflogedig.t.  

Dywedodd Claire Morgan, Cyfarwyddwr Gofalwyr Cymru:

“Byddai’n well gan lawer o ofalwyr aros mewn gwaith, ond maent yn wynebu’r dewis amhosibl o orfod jyglo gwaith gyda chyfrifoldebau gofalu yng nghanol argyfwng costau byw sydd eisoes yn effeithio’n anghymesur ar ofalwyr di-dâl.

“Nid yn unig mae achos moesol i gyflogwyr gefnogi eu staff gyda chyfrifoldebau gofalu, ond mae achos busnes hefyd. Mae busnesau rydym yn gweithio gyda nhw drwy ein gwasanaeth Cyflogwyr i Ofalwyr wedi gweld costau recriwtio is a gwell morâl a lles staff, ar ôl cyflwyno polisïau sy’n hyderus i ofalwyr.

“Mae gofalwyr di-dâl yn chwarae rhan hanfodol yn ein cymdeithas, yn Gofalwyr Cymru rydym am weld mwy o gyflogwyr yng Nghymru yn mynd ymhellach i gefnogi staff sydd â chyfrifoldebau gofalu. Mae Gofalwyr Cymru yn barod i’w cefnogi i wneud hyn.”

Gall cyflogwyr wneud gwahaniaeth gwerthfawr pan ddaw’n fater o gadw gofalwyr mewn cyflogaeth a chefnogi gofalwyr di-dâl i ddychwelyd i’r gwaith.

• Dywedodd 74% o ofalwyr fod gweithio hyblyg yn eu helpu i jyglo gwaith a gofal.
• Dywedodd 70% o ofalwyr y byddai gweithio o gartref rhywfaint o'r amser yn eu helpu.
• Dywedodd 56% o ofalwyr y byddai cydnabyddiaeth o'u rôl ofalu gan eu cyflogwr yn eu cefnogi i gydbwyso gwaith a gofal.

Mae’r adroddiad yn nodi argymhellion i Lywodraeth y DU, Llywodraeth Cymru a chyflogwyr yng Nghymru i wella hawliau gofalwyr heddiw, yfory ac yn y dyfodol, megis:

• Dylai cyflogwyr ystyried bod yn “fabwysiadwyr cynnar” o’r ddeddfwriaeth newydd a mynd un cam ymhellach a chyflwyno’r absenoldeb fel gwyliau â thâl i ofalwyr, gan ei wneud hyd yn oed yn fwy hygyrch i weithwyr.
• Gellid gwella manteision y ddeddfwriaeth hon ymhellach drwy fesurau i helpu gofalwyr i jyglo gwaith a gofal o fewn y system budd-daliadau. Dylai Llywodraeth y DU fod yn cynyddu’r terfyn enillion ar Lwfans Gofalwr i 21 gwaith y Cyflog Byw Cenedlaethol a dylai gyflwyno Lwfans Gwaith penodedig ar gyfer gofalwyr sy’n cael Credyd Cynhwysol.
• Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru adolygu sut mae mesurau i gefnogi gofalwyr mewn cyflogaeth yn cyd-fynd â'r dyheadau i wreiddio Gwaith Teg yng Nghymru. Dylent ddefnyddio Cyngor Partneriaeth y Gweithlu a'r Cyngor Partneriaeth Gymdeithasol i ffurfio camau i ledaenu ymwybyddiaeth o'r ddeddfwriaeth sy'n dod i mewn a hyrwyddo mabwysiadu mesurau arfer gorau i gefnogi gofalwyr mewn cyflogaeth.

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth ewch i wefan Cyflogwyr i Ofalwyr Cymru.

- DIWEDD -

Nodiadau i'r Golygydd

Cynhaliodd Carers UK arolwg ar-lein rhwng Mehefin ac Awst 2023, gan dderbyn cyfanswm o 10,751 o ymatebion gan ofalwyr di-dâl cyfredol.

O’r rhai a ymatebodd i’r arolwg:

• Mae 80% yn fenywaidd, 19% yn wrywaidd ac mae gan 1% hunaniaeth rhyw gwahanol i'w rhyw a gofrestrwyd ar enedigaeth
• Mae 32% wedi bod yn gofalu am fwy na 15 mlynedd, 15% wedi bod yn gofalu am 10-14 mlynedd, 24% wedi bod yn gofalu am 5-9 mlynedd, 26% wedi bod yn gofalu am 1-4 blynedd a 3% yn llai am lai na blwyddyn
• Mae 47% yn gofalu am 90 awr yr wythnos neu fwy, 15% yn gofalu am 50-90 awr, 24% yn gofalu am 20-49 awr a 15% yn gofalu am 19 awr neu lai

Ynglŷn â Chyflogwyr ar gyfer Gofalwyr Cymru

Mae fforwm busnes Gofalwyr Cymru, Cyflogwyr i Ofalwyr Cymru, yn grŵp o fwy na 220 o gyflogwyr ym Mhrydain sydd wedi ymrwymo i gefnogi gofalwyr yn y gweithle ac sydd bellach yn cyrraedd dros 3.5 miliwn o weithwyr ledled y DU.

Gall busnesau baratoi ar gyfer gweithredu’r Ddeddf Absenoldeb Gofalwr gyda’i set annibynnol o adnoddau. Wedi’i ddatblygu gyda gwybodaeth arbenigol ein tîm mewnol, bydd y pecyn cymorth hwn yn eich paratoi a’ch paratoi ar gyfer cefnogi gofalwyr yn eich gweithlu.