“I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance.”
The pressures of caring can take a toll on carers’ physical and mental health. The 2011 Census shows that in England and Wales alone, almost 390,000 carers report being in bad health.
Carers Week research from 2018 found that 6 out of 10 people (61%) said their physical health has worsened as a result of caring, while 7 out of 10 (72%) said they have experienced mental ill health.
This information was echoed by the 2019 GP Patient Survey51 which found that carers were more likely to report having health problems compared with the general public, as was also found in the 2018 survey. Carers are more likely to report having a long term condition, disability or illness – 63% of carers compared to 51% of non-carers. In addition 63% of carers reported that their condition led to trouble with day to day activity compared to 58% of non- carers. This difference was even higher for carers who care for more than 50 hours a week, 71% of whom reported having a long term condition, disability or illness.
From Policy Briefing August 2019 : Carers UK