The full picture
Statutory Carer's Leave came into force on 6 April 2024 under the Carer's Leave Act 2023. It gives every UK employee the right to take up to one week of unpaid leave per 12-month rolling period to provide or arrange care for a "dependant" with a long-term care need.
Key features: - **Day-one right** — no qualifying length of service needed - **Unpaid** — your employer doesn't have to pay you (some employers choose to) - **One week per year** — actual length depends on your usual working pattern (5 days for a 5-day worker, 7 days for a 7-day worker, etc.) - **Take it in chunks** — half-days or full days, in one block or spread out - **No need to show evidence** — but most employers ask for self-certification or a brief reason
Who counts as a "dependant": - Spouse, civil partner, child or parent - Anyone living in the same household (not as a tenant or lodger) - Anyone who reasonably relies on you for care
What counts as a long-term care need: - Illness or injury (physical or mental) likely to last 3+ months - A disability under the Equality Act 2010 - End-of-life care - Old-age care needs
You give your employer notice — usually twice the length of leave + 1 day (so 3 days' notice for 1 day's leave). If your role is critical the employer can postpone (but not refuse) by up to 28 days.
This is in addition to existing rights like emergency time off for dependants (which is separate and unpaid, for short-notice emergencies).