Combining paid work with eldercare: the implications for social policy

Government policy relies upon the continued provision of unpaid care from informal carers to groups such as elderly people. The majority of carers of elderly people are in employment and the number of people who combine care and work is likely to rise as the proportion of women and older workers in the labour force increases. However, recent public policy statements make little mention of the impact of informal care on employment and the difficulties associated with combining care and work. Likewise this issue has been ignored in the policy debate about the promotion of equal opportunities in employment, and in discussion of social policies for older workers, who among workers below pension age are the main providers of care for elderly people. This paper reviews the evidence concerning the relationship between employment and care of the elderly. It suggests an agenda of policy issues that need to be addressed, taking account of the fact that carers of elderly people are not a homogeneous group. A range of policy measures are discussed which would enable more carers to remain in employment, and allow other carers to return to the labour market, and hence reduce some of the financial and other costs associated with loss of employment.