FLEXIBLE WORKING FOR CARERS

That this House is concerned that, according to a survey by the charity Disability Law Service, 52 per cent of those caring for a disabled person are denied requests for flexible working and that 72 percent of carers would work, or would work more, if they could work flexibly; notes that this is unsurprising given that an employer has no duty to agree to flexible working and, when considering a carer's request for flexible working under the relevant law, does not even have to act reasonably; further notes that disabled people are entitled to have reasonable adjustments made in their workplace conditions in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that they are able to work and can do so effectively; believes that it is not right that under current law a carer can only request flexible working, with no extra rights to flexible working than any other employee; and calls on the Government to introduce a Bill to amend the Equality Act to provide a right to reasonable adjustments for carers.