Unsung Army of Unpaid Carers in Crisis as 1 Million Juggle Full-Time Duties
A new report has sounded the alarm over a growing "unsung army" of 1 million people in the UK who provide full-time unpaid care, with one in three from poorer backgrounds unable to work due to their responsibilities. The Resolution Foundation's research highlights a critical need for better support as an ageing society and rising ill-health disproportionately affect the poorest half of working-age families.
Stark Disparities in Disability and Care Demands
The thinktank found that almost one in three working-age adults in lower-income families have a disability, compared with fewer than one in five in better-off families. This trend has led to 1 million individuals in modest-income homes taking on caring responsibilities of 35 hours or more per week—equivalent to a full-time job—making it extremely challenging to secure paid employment.
Mike Brewer, deputy chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, emphasised the urgency of the situation. "Britain is getting older and sicker, while a greater share of its population has a disability. While these trends affect the whole of society, they are starkest in the poorest half of working-age families across the country," he said. "While we talk a lot about the effects of ageing and ill-health, the implications on demand for unpaid care is largely absent from political debate. That's despite Britain having an 'unsung army' of 1 million people who do at least 35 hours of unpaid care work every week—equivalent to a full-time job. It is time to provide better support for these carers and their families, just as we have done with working parents in recent decades."
Government Response and Ongoing Challenges
In response, a government spokesperson acknowledged the vital role of carers and outlined measures to assist them. "We understand the huge difference carers make, as well as the struggles they may face. That's why we've delivered the biggest ever cash increase in the earnings threshold for carer's allowance, whilst unpaid carers can also receive support, including short breaks and respite services, through the Better Care Fund. Alongside this, we are reviewing the implementation of carer's leave and considering the benefits of introducing paid carer's leave."
However, the issue is compounded by systemic failures. A Guardian investigation in 2024 revealed that tens of thousands of unpaid carers, many already in poverty, faced large bills for overpayments due to Department for Work and Pensions errors. Despite a 2019 promise by DWP permanent secretary Peter Schofield that new technology would solve the problem, over 262,000 overpayments totalling more than £325 million were clawed back from carers in the following five years, with 600 carers prosecuted and receiving criminal records, according to the National Audit Office.
As a result, Labour initiated an independent review of the carer's allowance and raised the earnings limit for claimants, aiming to address these injustices and provide more robust support for those dedicating their lives to care.
