This report looks at the needs of those with caring responsibilities trying to seek employment and how they can be supported back into work.
In England, less than a quarter of carers are in part-time or full-time paid work, leaving a huge number of people who would be working – contributing to the economy and to their own personal finances – but are not.
One in five people aged 50–64 is a carer, with many having to give up work to care. However, older carers who have fallen out of work face significant barriers to getting back into employment. This report looks at the holistic approach to employment support needed to address the practical and emotional barriers to re-entering the workforce.
This paper is based on the qualitative research findings of Manchester Metropolitan University, summarising interviews and focus groups undertaken with carers and coaches from Working Potential, a project funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and commissioned by Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO), as part of their Ambition for Ageing Programme, which aimed to engage up to 300 unemployed older carers not engaged with statutory employability programmes.
