What are my rights as a working carer?
Your rights in work come from two sources:
- The law gives you ‘statutory rights’ which everyone has.
- Your contract of employment gives you ‘contractual rights’ which can be more generous than statutory rights.
In this section, we provide guidance about your statutory and contractual rights as a working carer. It's always worth checking your contract of employment, staff handbook, HR policies or letter of appointment to see if you have any contractual rights on top of your statutory rights.
Note: For further information about your general rights, see the gov.uk website.
For a summary of your statutory rights, you can also take a look at our factsheet, Your rights in work.
Find out more about your rights at work
Latest updates
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Carers Week 2026 at Carers Scotland
24 June 26
The team were hard at work to mark Carers Week in Scotland.
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23 June 26
New figures show 722,000 unpaid carers in Scotland, contributing £18.3bn to the economy as calls grow for better support.
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Creating communities where no carer feels alone
13 June 26
Nick Baird, Chair of Carers UK, reflects on the vital role that supportive communities play in helping unpaid carers feel recognised, connected and supported.
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Carers Week reflections: Living the theme - community, conversations and connection
12 June 26
Zahra Lakhan-Bunbury reflects on a week of inspiring conversations, shared experiences and growing momentum behind the movement to create more carer-friendly workplaces.
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