Working Carers Toolkit (England and Wales)

Understand your rights, prepare for workplace conversations and make caring alongside work more manageable.

This practical guide for England and Wales covers Carer's Leave, flexible working, support routes and ready-to-use wording. (Scotland and Northern Ireland have some different rules.)

Inside you'll find:

✓ How to start the conversation with your employer: what to say and when

✓ Your Carer's Leave rights explained (Carer's Leave Act 2023): what you're entitled to and how to request it

✓ What to do when you're the one who's unwell: sick leave, fit notes, and using them honestly

✓ Free support you might not know you have: trade unions, Employee Assistance Programmes, Acas, and the Carers UK helpline

✓ Sitting services and community support: getting a few hours to yourself, and how to access it

✓ Coping with the mental load: guilt, divided attention, and looking after yourself too

✓ How to ask about flexible working, with a ready-to-use request template

✓ A dedicated section for self-employed carers: Carer's Allowance, insurance options, and building your own safety net

✓ A "Rights at a Glance" summary table you can keep to hand

✓ "My caring and work plan": a fill-in page to map out what you need

✓ 7-page printable PDF (A4)

Created by someone who's balanced a demanding career with caring for parents. Part of The Care Compass family of resources, helping families navigate later-life care with clarity, confidence and compassion.

This is designed as a flexible guide to support you, not a rigid checklist. Use what's helpful, skip what isn't, and make it your own.

After payment you can download straight away, and a download link is also emailed to you.

The Care Compass® is a registered UK trade mark (UK00004407559). Free guidance at thecarecompass.uk.