The State of Caring survey is the UK’s most comprehensive regular research into the lives and experiences of unpaid carers. 

Thank you to everyone who filled in the State of Caring survey 2023. Over 11,000 carers shared their views with us.  We will be sharing the results in a series of reports. The first report, on finances, is now available.  

The impact of caring on: finances 

This year’s survey found that carers are struggling even more with their finances. A higher proportion of carers said they are struggling to make ends meet, and carers who are already struggling with the high cost of living, are being further impoverished by having their ability to earn restricted by Carer’s Allowance. 

Concerningly, 75% of unpaid carers receiving Carer’s allowance are struggling with cost-of-living pressures, while almost half (46%) are cutting back on essentials, including food and heating. As worryingly, 45% were even more likely to say they were struggling to make ends meet, compared with 39% last year.   

This year’s survey found that, of carers receiving Carer’s Allowance: 

• 34% were even more likely to be struggling to afford the cost of food compared with 21% of all carers.  This was an increase from 29% in 2022 
• 71% were even more likely to say they were worried about living costs and whether they can manage in the future, compared with 61% of all carers 
• 72% are worried about the impact of caring responsibilities (e.g. petrol for hospital visits, heating, specific dietary requirements) on their finances 
• 54% had cut back on seeing family and friends, compared with 43% in 2022 and 38% in 2021 

Read our wider findings on carers' finances in the report.