The chaos of unpaid caring while in employment, part one

With more and more of us taking on carer responsibilities, it’s time for HR to help develop working practices that work for all, says Jo Gallacher

Spring Budget 2023: What does it mean for HR?

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt gave his 2023 budget announcement to parliament yesterday (15 March), prioritising expanding the workforce and changes to pensions.

Norms are changing and HR needs to up its game

“One of my colleagues emailed his team to announce that he and his husband are expecting their first child. Nobody really knew how to respond as it was a surprise to us all and we didn’t want to say...

Working parents warned to prepare for teachers’ strike

After an overwhelming vote for strike action by teachers, schools in England and Wales will close for seven days in February and March meaning working parents will have to arrange alternative...

Working parents in England paying to go to work

Parents on low incomes often end up paying to go to work, according to research from think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Government urged to prioritise "overdue" paternity leave reforms

Nearly half of employers (46%) would welcome extensions to statutory paternity leave and pay, according to research from the CIPD.

Childcare staffing crisis demands flexibility from employers

A staffing crisis in UK nurseries and spiralling costs of childcare has meant half (51%) of parents have been unable to meet their summer childcare needs.

Proposed Neonatal Care Bill offers flexibility to working parents

The government's proposed Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill has undergone a second reading in parliament.

Rising childcare costs outstrip maternity pay

The UK's childcare costs are the highest in the developed world, yet maternity pay has dipped over the last 12 years.

Working BME and disabled parents paying higher childcare costs

Black and minority ethnic (BME) and disabled parents are spending a higher proportion of their income on childcare than white or non-disabled workers, making them more susceptible to the affects of...

Guaranteed hours essential to business resilience

Nearly a third (32%) of working adults in the UK are given less than a week’s notice of their working hours, research published by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF) has found.

How can employers champion single mothers?

There are 1.8 million single parents in the UK, the vast majority of whom (nine out of 10) are women. Almost all are in work or want to work, and pre-pandemic single-parent employment hit record...