About this campaign
Usdaw campaigns for improved rights for parents and carers, and provide resources to inform members and reps about their existing rights, including accessing time-off and financial support through tax credits and other in-work benefits.
Each year, we run a spotlight day to focus on a particular issue, providing briefings and materials to help reps and activists organise a campaign event in their store.
This year’s Supporting Parents and Carers Spotlight Day takes places on Wednesday 24 June.
Parents and Carers Spotlight Day
This year, our campaign Spotlight Day theme is 'Under Pressure.'
We're highlighting the financial pressures facing Usdaw members who are juggling their jobs with looking after someone.
Our aim is to help ease the pressure on parents, carers and grandparents by signposting them towards organisations that can help with financial and mental health advice, campaigning for more support from Government and giving them a voice to help make the changes to improve their lives.
Whether you're running a campaign stand or simply updating your noticeboard at work, order your campaign materials here.
How to support the campaign
- Find out more about ‘Supporting Parents and Carers’ Spotlight Day
- Take our survey - your experiences can help improve support for neurodiversity at work
- Share your story - If you're a parent or carer facing financial pressures whilst juggling their job with looking after someone, help us raise awareness by sharing your story. Contact the magazine team at [email protected]
- Pledge your support
- Display our posters on your workplace noticeboard
What we've achieved in the past
One previous theme was 'Stand up for Carers' and, from April 2024, employees have a statutory right to a week’s unpaid leave to care for a dependant. The carer’s leave regulations allow up to five days off each year to provide care for people who are elderly, are disabled or have an illness or injury lasting more than three months.
Employees using the leave must take a minimum of half a working day at a time; a working day meaning the employee’s usual working pattern. There is no need for the leave to be used on consecutive days, so that could be five separate days over a 12-month rolling period.
However, Usdaw believes this still doesn't go far enough and the leave needs to be paid.
