1 in 8 adults (around six million people) are carers.
- By 2037, it's anticipated that the number of carers will increase to 9 million
- Every day another 6,000 people take on a caring responsibility - that equals over 2 million people each year.
- 58% of carers are women and 42% are men
- Over 1 million people care for more than one person
Carers save the economy £119 billion per year, an average of £18,473 per carer
- Over 3 million people juggle care with work, however the significant demands of caring mean that 1 in 5 carers are forced to give up work altogether.
- The main carer's benefit is £58.45 for a minimum of 35 hours, equivalent to £1.67 per hour - far short of the national minimum wage of £6.08 per hour (2012-2013 figures)
People providing high levels of care are twice as likely to be permanently sick or disabled
- 625,000 people suffer mental and physical ill health as a direct consequence of the stress and physical demands of caring.
- 1.25 million people provide over 50 hours of care per week
Read our Facts about Carers briefing
