The government has announced that it is backing the Carer's Leave Bill, a Private Members' Bill sponsored by Wendy Chamberlain MP. The Bill passed its second reading with government support on 21 October 2022.
The Bill will introduce a new and flexible entitlement of one week's unpaid leave per year for employees who are providing or arranging care and will be available to eligible employees from the first day of their employment. They will be able to take the leave flexibly to suit their caring responsibilities and will not need to provide evidence of how the leave is used or who it who it will be used for. Employees will be protected from dismissal or any detriment as a result of having taken time off.
On 23 September 2021 the government responded to consultation it issued on a new right to carer's leave, confirming that it would introduce a statutory right of up to one week of unpaid carer's leave when Parliamentary time allowed.
