Horton, Rachel --- "Care-giving and Reasonable Adjustment in the UK" [2011] ELECD 869; in Busby, Nicole; James, Grace (eds), "Families, Care-giving and Paid Work" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Families, Care-giving and Paid Work

Editor(s): Busby, Nicole; James, Grace

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781849802628

Section: Chapter 8

Section Title: Care-giving and Reasonable Adjustment in the UK

Author(s): Horton, Rachel

Number of pages: 16

Extract:

8. Care-giving and reasonable
adjustment in the UK
Rachel Horton

INTRODUCTION
It is estimated that there are currently close to 6 million carers in the UK,
approximately one in ten of the population. Of these, around half combine
work and care. One in five carers give up work or turn down job opportuni-
ties because of their caring responsibilities (Carers UK 2009). While carers
contribute an estimated £87 billion per year to the UK economy, calculated
as the replacement cost of the unpaid care contributed by carers (Buckner
and Yeandle 2007), the detrimental financial consequences of caring to
carers themselves (and consequently often, therefore, to those they care for)
can be severe. For many carers the ability to combine work and care is not
only essential to reducing the financial impact of caring, but is also key to
avoiding the consequent social exclusion commonly experienced by carers
and those for whom they care.
Various legislative initiatives have aimed to improve the position of
carers who wish or need to work in recent years. These have included
increased obligations on the employer in the form of the right to request
flexible working introduced under the Work and Families Act 2006; and
increased obligations on local authorities to consider the wishes of carers to
combine work (or other activities) and care in any assessment of their needs
under the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004. The strategy has not,
however, despite the opportunity provided by the recent enactment of the
Equality Act ...