On Monday 8 September I spoke at a meeting at TUC Congress on a new deal for older workers organised by Unions21.

One of the biggest challenges facing many older employees is juggling work with caring for elderly or disabled relatives. There are more than 6 million unpaid family carers in Britain. 60% are women, many of whom feel really stretched because they’re looking after a frail or sick parent – and helping out with the grandchildren, too. For working carers, this often becomes too much, and they have to give up work or reduce their hours.

Labour’s Older Women’s Commission has called for more flexible working arrangements for family carers, including new ‘adjustment leave’: a short-term period of leave or flexibility to help employees deal with an immediate crisis in care and to allow time to adjust to a new caring role. A future Labour Government will consult with employers, trade unions and carers organisations on how to improve flexibility for working carers, including through measures like adjustment leave.

You can read coverage of this story in the Mirror here and I’ve written an article for the LabourList website here.