Carers UK has published a new report which calls on the Government to review the Equality Act 2010 and introduce caring as a protected characteristic.
Their research found that many unpaid family carers have experienced discrimination or harassment, with 22% of carers in the workplace saying they had experienced unfair or unfavourable treatment, and nearly a quarter of carers in employment (24%) saying that they had difficulties meeting their employer’s requirements because of their caring role.
Although the Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to directly discriminate against or harass someone who is associated with someone with a protected characteristic, the law is often poorly understood and implemented.
Many unpaid family carers feel invisible, overlooked and undervalued with 55% of people who responded to Carer’s UK’s survey saying they need better understanding and recognition of carers from the general public.
Suffolk Family Carers joins Carers UK in calling for caring to be made a protected characteristic by updating the Equality Act 2010. Introducing caring as a protected characteristic would strengthen carers’ rights to protection from discrimination and harassment, and because the protected characteristics are well-known it would further raise the profile of family carers.
