The State of Caring 2024 survey found that unpaid carers are finding it increasingly difficult to afford day-to-day living costs, with the worry and anxiety of this further affecting their mental health and wellbeing.
Carers, particularly those receiving Carer’s Allowance, are struggling to make ends meet, and many are making difficult choices, such as reducing meal sizes or skipping meals. Most carers are now cutting back on social connections, which often provide a vital lifeline helping people to balance caring responsibilities with their own wellbeing.
This year’s survey found that:
- 61% of unpaid carers are worried about living costs and managing in the future, and over a third (35%) don’t feel confident they will be able to manage financially over the next 12 months
- A quarter of carers (27%) are struggling to make ends meet and 28% of carers are cutting back on essentials like food and heating
- 28% of carers said they have had to use credit cards, 22% have used their overdraft and 14% of carers are in debt because of caring.
- 68% of carers have cut back on hobbies and leisure activities and 60% have reduced time spent seeing family and friends
- Over half of carers (51%) said that their financial situation is having a negative impact on their mental health, and 61% feel stressed or anxious when they think about their financial situation.
These findings reflect recent research commissioned by Carers UK and conducted by the WPI, which found that 1.2 million unpaid carers were in poverty.
As a result of the intolerable financial pressures carers are facing, Carers UK is calling on the Government to urgently overhaul Carer’s Allowance and increase the earnings threshold for claiming the benefit so that carers can continue to earn alongside their caring responsibilities.
Further reports based on the findings from the State of Caring 2024 will be published over the forthcoming months.