What is a Section 278 Agreement?

A Section 278 Agreement is a legal agreement between a developer and a highway authority to carry out highway works.

Could Greater Employment Rights For Carers Be On The Way?

The government is currently consulting on ways to strengthen employment rights for unpaid carers and parents of seriously ill children.

The consultation builds on the Carer’s Leave Act 2023, which introduced a right for eligible employees to take up to five days of unpaid carer’s leave each year. However, the government is now asking whether that entitlement provides enough support for employees with caring responsibilities.

Several options are being considered. These include increasing the amount of unpaid carer’s leave available, introducing a new right for employees to return to their role after a longer period of caring-related absence, and creating a statutory entitlement to paid carer’s leave.

The consultation is also seeking views on “Hugh’s Law”, a proposal that would provide leave and financial support for parents and caregivers following the diagnosis of a serious illness in a child.

No changes have been confirmed at this stage, but the consultation highlights the growing focus on the challenges faced by working carers. Many employees are balancing work with caring responsibilities for children, elderly relatives or family members with long-term health conditions, and those pressures can have a significant impact on attendance, wellbeing and retention.

For HR professionals, this is an area worth keeping an eye on. If new rights are introduced, employers may need to review policies, absence procedures and manager training. Even if the law does not change significantly, the consultation reflects a wider expectation that employers should support carers in the workplace wherever possible.

The consultation closes on 1 September 2026, and its outcome may give a useful indication of the direction of travel for future family-friendly employment rights.

About Jon Dunkley

Jon Dunkley is a Partner at Wollens and heads up the firm’s Regulatory Department. Based at our North Devon office, Jon is a highly experienced solicitor with a broad commercial and regulatory practice, supporting businesses, professionals and senior employees across a wide range of legal issues.