The Growing Crisis of Britain's Unpaid Carers
A new report has sounded the alarm over an escalating crisis facing Britain's "unsung army" of unpaid carers, with one million individuals now providing full-time care equivalent to a full-time job. The Resolution Foundation's research highlights how this burden is intensifying due to an ageing population and rising levels of ill-health across the country.
Disproportionate Impact on Lower-Income Families
The think tank's findings reveal stark inequalities in how care responsibilities affect different socioeconomic groups. Their analysis shows that almost one in three working-age adults in lower-income families lives with a disability, compared with fewer than one in five in more affluent households. This disparity creates a perfect storm where those with the fewest resources face the greatest caregiving demands.
In homes of modest means, approximately one million people dedicate 35 hours or more each week to caring duties – the equivalent of holding down a full-time position. This overwhelming commitment makes maintaining paid employment exceptionally challenging, with around one in three carers in poorer households reporting they cannot work at all due to their responsibilities.
A Call for Policy Change and Greater Support
The report acknowledges that Britain has made significant progress in supporting working parents over recent decades, through measures including flexible working rights, extended parental leave, and improved statutory pay. However, it argues that similar attention and resources must now be directed toward those caring for adults.
Mike Brewer, deputy chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, emphasized 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."
Brewer continued: "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 one 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 Existing Support Measures
In response to the report's findings, a Government spokesperson acknowledged the vital role carers play and the challenges they face: "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."
The spokesperson added: "Alongside this, we are reviewing the implementation of Carer's Leave and considering the benefits of introducing paid Carer's Leave."
The Resolution Foundation's report serves as a crucial reminder that as Britain's demographic profile continues to shift, the need for comprehensive support systems for unpaid carers becomes increasingly urgent. With one million people already providing full-time care without formal compensation, the call for policy intervention grows louder by the day.
