MANIFESTO FOR WORKING FAMILIES

What will it take to make Britain’s workplaces truly family-friendly and how should the next Government support families through these difficult economic times? Our manifesto focuses on three key areas for change:

• more flexible workplaces: we want to see all jobs advertised on a flexible or part time basis and a right to request flexible working for all.

• more choice for families to share the care: we want to see improved rights for fathers and partners and better paid leave for all parents.

• simpler support systems that make work pay: we want to see flexible and affordable childcare and simpler tax credits and benefits systems.

Flexible workplaces

The evidence is strong: flexible working means more balanced lives, increased performance at work and savings for employers. In an economic downturn, employers are using flexible working to retain skills and avoid redundancies. But by limiting the right to request to parents and carers already in work, the true potential of flexible working has not yet been realised.

Working families want:

• flexible jobs at the recruitment stage. Too many workers – particularly women and those with caring responsibilities – limit their job searches to work they can fit into the hours they can offer. But part time jobs often mean low pay and limited prospects. We won’t close the gender pay gap, eliminate child poverty or maximise employment participation until we deliver good quality, family-shaped jobs. All jobs should be offered on a flexible or part time basis, unless there are sound business reasons why not.   Removing the rule that says you can’t make a request until you’ve been in a job for 26 weeks would shift the discussions about working patterns to the recruitment stage, so a solution that suits both employer and employee can be arranged at the outset. The public sector should take the lead and challenge the full-time norm from the moment a job is advertised. 
• all workers to have the right to request flexible working. This simple change would help employers maximise the performance gains from flexible working, prevent parents being sidelined for making requests, and allow groups like grandparents to ask for the changes they need. Flexible jobs don’t have to be on part time hours and reduced pay, but include a range of smarter and more effective ways to work.

More choice for families about who cares

Today’s families come in all shapes and sizes. In almost a third of families women earn as much or more than their partner. Fathers want to be more involved in caring for their children, and evidence suggests children benefit when they are. But our arrangements for family leave are stuck in the past with a bias towards the mother as primary carer, and very little leave reserved for fathers or other partners. Paying leave at low rates makes it harder for poorer families to take time with their children. References to fathers below include same sex partners who are entitled to similar rights.
 

Working families want:

• all fathers to have a paid and independent right to extended leave when a new baby arrives. Today’s paternity rights are too limited – only some fathers are eligible and they can only take two weeks of paternity leave at a low rate of pay. All fathers, regardless of how long they have been in work, should be allowed paternity leave. With 52 weeks of leave for mothers and so little for fathers, families’ choices are limited.  Families want care arrangements that suit their economic circumstances. In the current climate when many fathers have lost jobs, it may make financial sense for fathers to take extended time out to look after their children.
• adequate pay for all parents. Statutory maternity and paternity payments are significantly less than the national minimum wage.  This leads to low income mothers going back to work sooner than they would like and low income fathers taking annual leave instead of paternity leave. Increasing the level of pay, and making sure all parents – including self employed parents and adopters – can access adequate levels of statutory pay would send out a strong message about valuing time off to care.
• more flexible leave for parents of older children and carers. Today’s unpaid parental leave is only available for children under five (18 if the child is disabled). Most parents have to take parental leave in blocks of a week. Families need flexible leave to be available, including for parents of older children. Parents struggle to find childcare over the summer holidays, and to fill the gap between “emergency leave” of a few days and longer periods when a child is ill or when childcare breaks down. Carers of older relatives would also benefit from more flexible leave. Caring needs can be unpredictable and a permanent change to a working pattern is not always the solution. Paying parental and carer leave would improve many families’ access to this entitlement.

Simple support systems so that work pays

Working families want:

• flexible and affordable childcare to reflect flexible work patterns. Parents working at nights and weekends can’t find formal childcare and that means they can’t get help with the costs. Summer holiday care remains a problem, particularly for disabled children. High costs of childcare act as a disincentive to work.
• simpler tax credits and benefits.   The benefit system isn’t designed around frequent changes in hours of work or childcare, but in an uncertain climate this is the reality for parents today.   Callers to our helpline are reluctant to report changes to their income mid year because they fear tax credits overpayment. But this means families facing job losses are struggling, and don’t get the income they are entitled to until the next tax year. Making awards for shorter fixed periods, and paying some elements - like childcare costs - on the basis of income bands would help. Changing the state’s contribution to childcare costs via tax credits to 100% (from 80%) would be simpler and would help low income families.                                                                                                   

                                                                                   September 2009