The Carer Poverty Commission NI launched its latest report on Thursday 7 November. 1 in 4 carers in Northern Ireland are currently living in poverty and the inability to take on or retain employment alongside caring responsibilities is one of the largest drivers of these levels of poverty.

This report looks at the policy changes that would support unpaid carers to remain in or re-join the labour market. It details the benefits of paid carer’s leave, flexible working and improved social care provision and shows how these not only help individual carers but have far reaching economic benefits to business, government, and the economy.

Modelling shows that a combination of flexible working and paid carer’s leave could increase the number of unpaid carers in employment by between 6,800 and 14,700 people by helping unpaid carers remain in employment and supporting out-of-work carers to return. Additionally, a combination of flexible working and paid carer’s leave could increase the total hours worked by carers by between 3,280,000 and 4,000,000 each year by helping carers move from part-time to full-time employment and take on additional overtime.

Together, these changes would bring an additional £103–£198 million in taxes and reduce benefit spending by between £40 and £86 million. At the same time, employers could make an additional £27 to £51 million of savings associated with increased employee retention, as well as the additional benefits that flow from increased productivity, and improved staff wellbeing.

If access to social care could be improved, an additional 1,800–3,400 carers could be supported to return to employment. This could bring an additional £21–£39 million in taxes and reduce benefit spending by £11–£20 million.

As well as generating savings for government and employers, and helping carer’s back into employment, these policy reforms could also bring a wide range of other benefits including.

• Savings to the NHS through the improved health of unpaid carers and the cared-for people;
• Benefits from improved wellbeing due to reduced stress and incidence of physical and mental ill-health; and,
• Some long-term benefits, including improved pension savings and reduced inequality between genders.

This research sets out the economic case for implementing better support for unpaid carers. It shows how such policies can benefit the government, businesses, and society – as well as bringing immeasurable health, wellbeing, and improved quality-of-life to unpaid carers themselves.