Caring for kids and elderly parents while holding down a job is breaking Britain’s ‘sandwich generation’. For HR professionals, the warning is stark: fail to support them, and the cost to wellbeing, retention and reputation could be significant, writes Katie Jacobs.
Like many mothers, by the time Jane arrives at work she is flustered, having got two truculent children out of the house and into breakfast club before jumping onto a train. But only an hour after sitting down to tackle a business-critical project, she receives a call from her elderly father’s neighbour. He’s had a fall and seems confused. Work must wait, and Jane’s stress levels rise as she wonders how to balance everything.
This story is the reality for a growing number of UK employees. The number of sandwich carers, those simultaneously caring for ageing parents and dependent children, in the UK is growing. According to the ONS, there were an estimated 1.4 million sandwich carers of working age between 2021 and 2023, and 76 percent of them were employed or self-employed. It’s a number that’s only going to get bigger. “As life expectancy rises and more people have children later, an increasing number of employees juggle caring for both older relatives and children,” explains Joanne Waterworth, head of employer services at Working Families.
“The sandwich generation is reshaping the modern workforce,” adds Sara Thompson, chief people officer at retirement savings firm Phoenix Group. That puts increasing pressure on HR and reward teams to rethink their approach to family-friendly perks and policies. Not doing so can have a major impact on organisational performance, not to mention the wellbeing of individuals.
Managing caring responsibilities takes its toll on mental health – according to the ONS, 31 percent of sandwich carers exhibit symptoms of anxiety or depression, compared to 24 percent of the general population. Juggling caring with work can break people. A recent survey by Deloitte found that 67 percent of working carers reported increasing stress and anxiety while balancing work and family responsibilities.
“Without adequate support, carers face overwhelming stress, exhaustion and financial hardship,” warns Waterworth. “For employers, this can result in lost talent, rising absenteeism and a fractured workplace culture.” Bright Horizons’ 2025 Modern Families Index found that 79 percent of adult carers had experienced their caring responsibilities clashing with work, leading to missed work days – sometimes 10 or more per year.
The Modern Families Index also found that 38 percent of sandwich carers are considering changing jobs, with most factoring their caring responsibilities into decisions about promotions and career progression. And an estimated 600 carers a day leave the workforce altogether because they cannot balance caring responsibilities and work, according to Carers UK.
“When you consider 90 percent of working carers are aged 30 or over and in their prime employment years, bringing a wealth of value and experience, it is clear that supporting them to remain and thrive at work is in the best interest of business and the wider economy,” says Thompson.
There are a range of practical benefits employers can provide to make a difference to sandwich carers. Family leave and associated benefits are increasingly in demand: Deloitte has found that 87 percent of working parents say family leave is important to them. To support its own staff, Deloitte has introduced 26 weeks’ fully paid leave for all new parents, as well as paid time off for fertility appointments, additional paid leave (up to 12 weeks) for those parents whose child requires neo-natal care and an additional five days of paid leave per year for those with long-term caregiving responsibilities, says director of inclusion and wellbeing Daisy Black. Given the unpredictable nature of caring, the firm also offers emergency back-up childcare.
Carer’s leave is a statutory right that allows all employers (from day one of employment) to take up to one week’s unpaid leave over a 12-month period to provide or arrange care for a dependent with a long-term care need. Many progressive employers go above and beyond compliance, however. Phoenix Group, for instance, offers 10 days of paid carer’s leave and a further five days’ unpaid leave to those with caring responsibilities, as well as emergency leave for unexpected caring emergencies.
While less common, some employers offer support with eldercare. Phoenix Group’s Care Concierge service, delivered in partnership with CareSourcer, offers dedicated support to employees who are carers, helping them navigate the complexities of arranging care. “Through unlimited telephone guidance, the service provides expert advice on care options, funding, and coordination with local authorities and healthcare teams,” explains Thompson.
Chris Locke, executive director, Work+Family at Bright Horizons adds that where employers offer more practical support, such as back-up care, engagement tends to increase. “Back-up care helps reduce absence and stress, with 84 percent of users [of Bright Horizons’ service] saying it enabled them to work on days they otherwise would have missed,” he says.
If back-up care provision isn’t an option as yet, an employee assistance programme (EAP) can be a starting point in offering practical advice and emotional support. And employee networks, such as a dedicated carers network, can provide additional support and signposting to practical resources.
Dedicated wellbeing initiatives can also help carers look after themselves, and managers should be trained in understanding both carers’ rights and in the importance of employee wellbeing. “Empathetic, well-trained managers play a crucial role in creating a workplace culture where carers feel seen, heard and supported,” says Waterworth.
In addition to more tangible benefits, cultural markers that show employees their employer takes the importance of caring responsibilities seriously can make a big difference. Caroline Butler, assistant director of HR at Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Police Forces, says that drop-in sessions for new parents and babies and an annual family fun day help people feel connected and included. “The chief constable meeting new parents and babies sends a powerful message of inclusion and care,” she adds.
The Force is trailing a Families Initiative in Hertfordshire, including a parenting app, a ‘welcome to the world’ book signed by the chief constable and a book for children explaining the role of policing so they can understand why their parent or carer may work different hours. The initiative has been developed based on employee feedback, “showing a genuine commitment to listening and responding to employee needs”, says Butler.
Perhaps the most impactful and longed for benefit is one that doesn’t cost the business anything: providing flexible and hybrid working options. Doing so can allow carers to more easily juggle the demands of work and home, while remaining productive and engaged – research from the CIPD has found that 80 percent of employees say that flexible working has had a positive impact on their quality of life, while 41 percent of employers believe an increase in hybrid working has brought productivity benefits.
“Employers are increasingly recognising that sandwich careers need flexibility and practical help to stay engaged and productive,” says Locke. Indeed, according to Working Families’ Top Employers 2024 benchmark, 97 percent of those leading the way with family-friendly policies provide short-term flexible working for unexpected caring needs.
Ultimately, an inclusive benefits strategy that reflects the changing needs of all our lives should prove a win-win for both employers and individuals. “Leading with empathy and respect means recognising that no two life journeys are the same, and offering flexible, personalised support that supports people wherever they are in their career,” says Thompson. “Businesses that invest in empathetic, inclusive strategies not only support their people but also strengthen retention, engagement and reputation in a competitive talent market.”
