How much carer’s leave can I take?
Short answer
Up to one week — the equivalent of your normal working week — in any rolling 12 months. It is unpaid and a day-one right for every employee. Your employer cannot refuse it, though it can postpone by up to a month, and cannot demand medical evidence about the person you care for.
The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 gave employees a statutory entitlement to one week of unpaid leave in any rolling 12-month period to care for a dependant with long-term care needs. A "week" means your normal working week, so a three-day-a-week employee gets three days. It has been available since 6 April 2024 and is a day-one right — no minimum service is needed.
Who counts, and what "long-term" means
A dependant is a spouse or civil partner, a child, a parent, anyone else living in the same household, or anyone who reasonably relies on you for care. Their need must be long-term:
- A physical or mental illness or injury expected to last more than three months
- A disability within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010
- Care needs connected with old age
You do not have to provide a doctor’s note or any other evidence about the person you care for — the regulations specifically prohibit employers from asking. You simply state that the leave is to care for someone with long-term needs.
Notice, postponement and protection
Give notice of at least twice as many days as the leave you want, or three days, whichever is greater. Your employer cannot refuse the request, but it may postpone it by up to a month where granting it then would unduly disrupt the business — and it must consult you and confirm the postponement in writing before the leave was due to start. Repeated postponement that in practice defeats the entitlement is unlawful, as is any detriment for taking or seeking the leave.
Carer’s leave is a separate entitlement. It does not eat into your annual leave or sick pay, and continuity of service and pension contributions continue while you are on it. It also sits alongside two other rights that people often confuse it with: time off for dependants, for sudden emergencies at short notice, and parental leave. Some employers enhance the statutory position by paying carer’s leave — check your contract or staff handbook before assuming it is unpaid.
One limit to note: the right applies to employees only. Workers in the wider statutory sense and self-employed contractors have no statutory entitlement, although other rights may help — for example reasonable adjustments if you are a disabled worker.
Related guides
Carer's Leave Act 2023
Since 6 April 2024 the Carer's Leave Act 2023 gives every employee a day-one statutory right to take up to one week of unpaid leave each year to care for a dependant with long-term care needs. This guide explains who counts as a dependant, what notice you must give, how leave can be taken, and what to do if your employer refuses.
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Time Off for Dependants
Employees have a statutory right to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off work to deal with emergencies involving a dependant. This is a day-one right — no qualifying period is required. Understanding when you can use this entitlement and how to request it protects you from unfair treatment when family emergencies arise.
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Flexible Working Requests
The right to request flexible working was significantly strengthened in April 2024. Employees can now ask from their first day and employers must handle requests more fairly than before. This guide explains the new rules.
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Maternity, Paternity and Shared Parental Leave
New parents in the UK have important statutory rights to take time off work and receive pay during leave. Understanding maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave helps you plan your family and protect your employment.
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