More Quit Full-Time Work To Become Carers

As many as 2.2 million people in the UK have given up full-time employment to care for children or other dependants in the past three years, according to a new report.

Research found 15 per cent of adults said they had changed working hours or employment since 2004 to enable them to become carers, with around a third giving up a full-time job.

The study revealed 20 per cent of women had made the move compared to 10 per cent of men. It found the estimated 6.9 million who have adapted their working life had taken a range of options to accommodate their new circumstances.

Around 555,000 are believed to have cut hours of full-time work, while another 763,000 are now working from home.

Up to 6 per cent of those who have changed working hours or employment in the past three years to look after dependants have set up their own business, survey results found.

Ian Noble, head of life sales and marketing at Lincoln Financial Group, which conducted the survey, said: “Family-friendly legislation has helped more of us adapt our working lives.”