Unpaid Carers

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff Excerpts

Wednesday 8th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

My Lords, let me be absolutely clear. There is active cross-governmental engagement on how we better support unpaid carers, because we recognise that employment cannot be considered in isolation from health and social care. My department is working with colleagues across government, including the DWP and the Department of Health and Social Care, as we consider the evidence and responses to our current consultation. We must take our time to ensure that we get this right. Our shared objective must be to help those carers who want to work to remain in employment, while ensuring that they can access the wider support that they and those they care for need.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

My Lords, some employers are now adhering to the principles of Hugh’s law when there is a seriously or critically ill child and those unpaid carers are particularly severely affected. Will the consultation cover the issue of children who are very seriously ill? Will the Government also consider —and I declare my interest in Cardiff University—monitoring the family-reported outcome measures of different interventions? These are put in place to support families where there are unpaid carers, and would enable us to get a better idea of what is effective and what is less so.

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

As the noble Baroness has said, the Casey commission is considering the long-term future of adult social care. We must let the review take its course. Alongside that, we are already reviewing employment rights for unpaid carers through a separate consultation. We are not waiting to gather any evidence, but we will consider carefully what more can be done to help carers remain in employment.