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New research published by Kinship has highlighted the significant financial, employment and wellbeing pressures faced by kinship carers, with the charity calling on the government to introduce statutory paid leave rights equivalent to those available to adoptive parents and other working parents.
The findings, released alongside a policy campaign launched in Parliament, indicate that four in ten kinship carers are forced to claim benefits or increase existing benefit claims after taking on the care of a child. Kinship arrangements typically arise when children can no longer live with their parents and instead move to live with relatives or close family friends, often with little notice and under traumatic circumstances.
Across England and Wales, approximately 141,000 children are currently being raised in kinship care arrangements. The charity argues that these placements frequently prevent children from entering the formal care system, delivering substantial savings to the state. Despite this, kinship carers are not entitled to the same employment protections or financial support as adoptive parents or birth parents.
The research, based on responses from 1,245 kinship carers, found that 26% struggled to afford essential living costs after assuming caring responsibilities, while 28% reported borrowing money and 25% fell behind with household bills. Many carers reported being unable to maintain previous employment patterns, either stopping work entirely, reducing working hours, taking unpaid leave or changing jobs to accommodate caring responsibilities.
The impact on carers’ wellbeing was also highlighted, with 69% stating that the absence of paid leave increased household stress levels and 58% reporting adverse effects on their mental health or emotional wellbeing. Ten per cent of respondents said the pressures associated with balancing employment and caring responsibilities resulted in a breakdown.
Separate survey data published by the charity in 2025 found that 45% of working kinship carers lost their jobs after taking responsibility for a child. Among those who were previously employed, 51% said that access to paid leave would have enabled them to return to work either fully or partially. The research also found that only a small proportion of carers were able to access discretionary paid leave, while 80% of those who left employment did not subsequently return to the workforce.
The charity’s campaign has coincided with the government’s ongoing parental leave and pay review, which is examining the employment rights of kinship carers alongside those of other working parents. Kinship is proposing a statutory model of kinship care leave designed to provide immediate support during the often unplanned early stages of care arrangements, alongside longer-term support intended to provide stability for children who have experienced trauma or family disruption.
Evidence gathered by the charity includes case studies illustrating the practical challenges faced by carers. One carer, a midwife employed by the National Health Service, reported leaving her job after being unable to access paid leave when she assumed care of her sister’s three children following her sister’s death. She described the combined pressures of managing grief, facilitating school changes and adjusting to an expanded household as overwhelming, ultimately resulting in her resignation when no employment leave arrangements could be agreed.
Another carer reported being offered only short periods of compassionate leave after she and her partner took responsibility for a newborn relative at risk of adoption. The carer stated that the absence of paid leave created significant financial uncertainty and made it difficult to focus on establishing early bonds with the child.
The charity’s proposals have received support from some employers, including Tesco, which has introduced paid kinship leave mirroring its enhanced adoption leave provisions. The retailer said the policy was intended to support employees facing sudden and emotionally challenging family circumstances while helping to retain experienced staff within the workforce.
Kinship has argued that the absence of statutory paid leave represents a significant gap in employment law, particularly given the vital role kinship carers play in supporting vulnerable children. The organisation has also emphasised that kinship care arrangements frequently involve caring for very young children, with research indicating that one third of carers take on responsibility for children under the age of one and nearly half care for children aged between one and four.
The charity has urged the government to introduce a statutory entitlement to paid kinship leave as part of the parental leave review, warning that without reform, carers will continue to face financial hardship and employment instability at a time when they are providing critical support to children who have often experienced significant trauma and disruption.
