The UK’s army of unpaid carers are left isolated, depressed and physically exhausted

A poll undertaken by the Carers Trust has revealed that almost 60% of adult carers reported suffering mental health problems due to the strain of caring and other responsibilities they had. Just over 25% experienced both physical and mental health problems, with muscular strains, insomnia and exhaustion also common complaints they had. Almost 60% said caring had damaged their careers.

The findings, sourced from a YouGov poll of 500 adults, will add further pressure on the Government to provide universal access to support services for Britain's 6 million unpaid Carers. The survey also found that almost 66% had never accessed counselling, respite or even welfare support. More than 1.5 million carers are aged over 60, and are often relied upon to move or lift immobile people and bathe, clothe and medicate their sick relatives. It is also expected that by the year 2037, the number of carers is expected to rise to 9 million as a result of our ever increasing aging population and as a result of better survival rates from medical conditions etc. Carer numbers 6m: 1 in 8 adults (around 6 million people) are Carers; this is expected to rise to 9 million by 2037 58% of Carers are women and 42% are men 3m: More than 3 million people juggle care with work and 20% are forced to give up work 50: 1.25 million people provide more than 50 hours of care each week.