Within the UK and Europe there is an enormous amount of interest in work-life balance. This is reflected in the media, government policy and the development of diversity programmes within large corporations. However there is also evidence that work and family life is more difficult to reconcile now than ever before. Based on findings from the ESRC's Future of Work Programme, this book focuses on the way in which gender, ethnicity and caring responsibilities shape work participation in the UK and describes the reality of how we balance our working and private lives in twenty-first century Britain