A Northern Ireland mum has called on Stormont to "stop using unpaid carers as doormats" and says people "shouldn't be punished for caring".
Natasha McClelland, from Coleraine, is an unpaid carer for her two adult children, Joel, 25, and 21-year-old Natalia, who have lifelong disabilities. Natasha is backing calls for more support that could enable thousands of NI's unpaid carers to stay in employment and bring millions of pounds into the local economy.
New research, launched today by the Carer Poverty Commission (CPC), shows that policies to support unpaid carers in NI, such as flexible working, paid carer’s leave and improved social care provision could prevent thousands of unpaid carers leaving employment due to the demands of their caring role and help many others to re-enter the labour market.
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The CPC research estimates that a combination of flexible working and paid carer’s leave could increase the number of unpaid carers in employment in the province by over 6000 . Other carers could be supported to increase their hours.
Together these changes could raise over £100 million in taxes and reduce benefit spending by over £40 million . At the same time employers could save over £27 million from increased employee retention as well as the additional benefits of increased productivity and improved staff wellbeing.
Improvement in social care provision could support over 1800 local carers into employment raising over £20 million in taxes and reducing benefit spending by over £11 million.
Previous research from CPC revealed that one in three carers in Northern Ireland leave work due to caring commitments. This has an enormous impact on their careers and finances. Locally over half (55%) of carers who are unemployed are living in poverty. The poverty rate for those in employment is much lower at 14%.
Natasha, who cares for her two adult children, says she has access to some support: “I love my job. Going to work is important to me. It is like a form of respite. I get a break away from caring and time to talk to other people and make social connections. My job also means I can bring in a wage to support myself and my children.
”My employer offers hybrid working, flexible working hours and five days paid emergency carer’s leave. Both my children avail of day services in adult centres and community transport. Without these I would never be able to do the job I am doing.
”I am fortunate that I'm able to work and part of that is to keep me and my children out of poverty but I have had to recently reduce my working hours so there is that financial loss. I am under no illusion that as time progresses and I age that I'll either have to reduce my working hours down again or potentially leave work altogether. That's just an unfortunate reality of caring and working.”
She added: ”I have been caring long-term for 25 years and have at least another 25 years ahead of me, for which I receive nothing in terms of Carer's Allowance as I'm working. Essentially I feel that on the one hand, you're punished for working but then when you're in the labour market and in employment, you're indirectly punished for being a carer. It's time for Stormont to stop using unpaid carers as doormats. We shouldn't be punished for caring.”
Angela Phillips, Carers NI’s Senior Policy Officer said: “Many unpaid carers want to continue in employment alongside their caring role, but do not get the opportunity to do so because of a lack of support, which can lead to financial hardship and poverty.
“Workplace supports, and improved provision of social care can help unpaid carers to enter or remain in employment and bring in a wage as well as balance caring with paid work. It is also a huge benefit to employers saving them millions per year in recruitment costs as well as having a significant impact on our economy with massive savings on benefit spending and increased gains in taxes. It is a win-win for everyone.
“We have a real opportunity in Northern Ireland to make these supports a reality for our unpaid carers. The Executive must include flexibility and paid carer’s leave within the Good Jobs Bill, and it must commit to fully funding the recommendations from the reform of adult social care.
”The narrative must move from what these supports cost to what benefits they bring to ensure unpaid carers get the support they need and not the poverty so many suffer,” Ms Phillips added.
In response, a Department for the Economy spokesperson said: “The important benefits carers bring to society and the local economy cannot be overstated. It is vitally important, therefore, that those in employment with caring responsibilities are supported to balance those responsibilities with their work commitments so that they can remain within the workforce.
“Following an analysis of the responses to the ‘Good Jobs’ Employment Rights consultation (which closed on 30th September), the Department intends to bring forward an employment rights Bill within the current Assembly mandate to ensure the employment law framework remains fit for purpose and operates effectively for both businesses and their employees.
“The right to Carer’s Leave and a revision to the current flexible working arrangements to make the right available from the first day of employment and increase the number of such requests an employee can make to two in a 12 month period are among the issues that will be considered in that context.
“The Economy Minister is supportive of a paid leave entitlement and met recently with Carers NI to discuss their proposals. Paid leave entitlement for carers would be subject to Executive and Assembly approvals and the identification of the necessary funding by the Executive.”
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