Britain's 'Unsung Army' of Full-Time Unpaid Carers Faces Critical Support Gap
A stark new report has highlighted the growing crisis facing Britain's unpaid carers, revealing that one million people in the poorest half of working-age families are providing care equivalent to a full-time job without adequate support.
The Scale of Unpaid Care in Lower-Income Households
The Resolution Foundation's research paints a concerning picture of how caring responsibilities are concentrated among Britain's most financially vulnerable families. Their analysis shows that approximately one million individuals in modest-income households dedicate 35 hours or more each week to unpaid care work – the equivalent of standard full-time employment.
This substantial time commitment creates significant barriers to securing paid work, with the thinktank finding that one in three unpaid carers from poorer backgrounds are completely unable to work because of their caring duties.
Disability Disparities and Demographic Pressures
The report identifies two key drivers behind this growing trend: Britain's ageing population and rising levels of ill-health and disability that disproportionately affect lower-income families. The Resolution Foundation's data reveals that almost one in three working-age adults in poorer families has a disability, compared with fewer than one in five in more affluent households.
Mike Brewer, the deputy chief executive of the Resolution Foundation, emphasised the severity 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."
The Political Silence on Care Demands
Brewer highlighted a significant gap in political discourse, noting: "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 1 million people who do at least 35 hours of unpaid care work every week – equivalent to a full-time job."
He called for substantial policy changes, stating: "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 Recent Controversies
In response to the report's findings, a government spokesperson outlined existing support measures: "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 that the government is "reviewing the implementation of carer's leave and considering the benefits of introducing paid carer's leave."
Systemic Failures in Carer Support
The report comes against a backdrop of significant problems within the current support system. A 2024 Guardian investigation revealed that tens of thousands of unpaid carers, many already living in poverty, had received substantial bills for overpayments running into thousands of pounds due to Department for Work and Pensions failures.
Despite a 2019 promise from DWP permanent secretary Peter Schofield that new technology would eliminate overpayment problems, the National Audit Office reported that in the five years following the introduction of the verify earnings and pensions tool (VEP), more than 262,000 overpayments totalling over £325 million were clawed back from carers. Shockingly, 600 carers were prosecuted and received criminal records during this period.
These revelations prompted Labour to establish an independent review of carer's allowance and raise the earnings limit for claimants, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reform to support those providing essential unpaid care across the country.
