Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps is she taking to ensure that unpaid carers in Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency are supported to remain in work.

This Government is committed to promoting the benefits of retaining unpaid carers in the workforce, for both carer and employer. DWP has been working with national employer organisations to support and encourage employers, including small and medium sized enterprises, to retain employees who are carers, recently hosting a series of webinars delivered by the Business Champion for Older Workers and Employers for Carers.

Recognising that many carers experience considerable challenges balancing work with caring responsibilities, Government has also consulted on proposals to introduce a new employment right to one week of additional leave for unpaid carers, to support working people to balance employment with their caring responsibilities. We are now analysing the responses and will issue our response in due course, setting out the way forward.