In work

As a carer, you may currently be juggling caring with paid work and care. You may be considering giving up work so that you can continue to care, or your role as a carer may have recently ended and you are looking for work. No two carers are the same and caring can be unpredictable; it can happen overnight and it often cannot be planned.

It is important that you know your rights and the options available to you when making decisions about caring and paid employment. In this section, you will find information on staying in work, giving up work and returning to work.

Juggling work and care can be a challenge in the life of many carers. As a carer, you have rights at work that can make this easier and there is support available to help you continue both working and caring. You have a right to request flexible working and you will find information on how to apply for this and how to challenge decisions if you are not happy with the outcome. You may also have rights to various forms of time off.

Your employer may offer other forms of support such as unpaid leave or telephone access to the person you're looking after during your working hours.

You will also find information on benefits and tax credits that can be claimed while you are in work in the benefits at work section.

If you're returning to work or thinking about it, we will have information on the benefits that can continue to be paid when you first go back to work, payments that help you return to work and the support that can be provided by Jobcentre Plus. You will also find information on career development, becoming self-employed, returning to your career and volunteering.