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22 February 2007 / Christine Jenner
Issue: 7261 / Categories: Features , Employment
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Past caring?

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Flexible working is a must, not an optional extra, for carers says Christine Jenner

Recent media reports highlight an increasing trend for elderly and disabled people to rely on family and friends to care for them. This is apparently due to the combined effects of an ageing population, NHS cut backs and local authorities restricting access to social services.

What this means is that more people of working age now have caring responsibilities and need to manage their working lives around those responsibilities.

Two expected changes to UK law due this year will assist carers to do this:
 The new right for carers to apply for flexible working which is due to come into force in April will oblige employers to consider how to accommodate the needs of carers in the workplace. 

 In addition, when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) gives its ruling in
Coleman v Attridge Law (a firm) [2007] IRLR 88, [2006] All ER (D) 326 (Dec) later this year, it is widely expected to find that the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA

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