Unpaid Carers – The Facts

How many unpaid carers are there in the UK?

The amount of unpaid carers in the UK in 2023 stood at an estimated 10.6 million. This is 1 in 5 people, with this figure rising on an annual basis. 

What is an unpaid carer?

These are individuals who take care of a family member or friend. These people care for a family member or friend. However, almost 75% of them do not identify as caregivers. As a result, they may not look for assistance or support.

Some unpaid carers also have jobs, so they have to juggle both responsibilities. This can lead to their health and well-being declining over time. Additionally, 46% of carers did not realise they were carers for over a year, missing out on financial assistance.

Identifying as an unpaid carer

Often people who are carers do not identify as such as they feel that it is simply their duty as a family member or friend to provide this support, this applies to a range of people. 

Parent carers

Parents who have children need additional support, for example, if a child has a disability. They do not see themselves as proving a role as a carer, but they are simply being a parent, doing what any parent would. 

Parents of children with additional needs often find that their responsibilities increase as the child gets older. This is different from most parents, whose responsibilities typically decrease as their child becomes more independent. 

Those who care for their parents may feel like they are repaying the kindness they received as children. This is because their parents once cared for them when they were young. 

Financial and practical support

It seems that many people who are providing care only realise that they are in fact unpaid carers when this is identified to them by a family member, friend, carer organisation or charity. 

Unfortunately, they are missing out on many things. These include financial and practical help, breaks for caregivers, and support from their employers. 

Source of information; Carers Week Report 2023