A new report from Carers UK has shed light on the alarming decline in the mental health of unpaid carers, driven largely by a chronic lack of respite and support services. The charity’s latest ‘State of Caring’ survey found that nearly six in ten unpaid carers frequently feel overwhelmed, and over a third report having poor or very poor mental health – a sharp increase from 27% the previous year. The reality is stark: without adequate breaks or formal support, the UK’s estimated 4.7 million unpaid carers are at growing risk of burnout and serious mental health issues.
This crisis is not just about the people providing care – it signals wider cracks in our social care system, which remains underfunded and overstretched. Without meaningful intervention, both unpaid carers and the people they care for will continue to bear the consequences of a sector in crisis.
The pressures facing unpaid carers
Unpaid carers play a crucial role in supporting those with long-term illnesses, disabilities, or age-related care needs. The King’s Fund reports that nearly half of all unpaid carers provide care for a parent, and one in five cares for a partner. Despite this essential role providing care for those most in need of it in our society, many struggle to receive the support they desperately need.
A lack of access to respite services is one of the most significant challenges they face. Two-thirds of carers say they need better support for their own health and wellbeing, and nearly half say they need more time off from their caring duties. However, increasing demand for social care services due to our aging population and a rise in chronic and complex condition rates, coupled with workforce shortages and underfunding, means that respite services are often unavailable when people need them most. This leaves many carers in a constant state of exhaustion, unable to take even short breaks from their responsibilities.
Respite care itself can cost up to £1,500 a week and, though grants from local authorities and charities exist to support people’s funding, they only go so far.
The physical and mental toll of unpaid care can be severe. Census data shows that unpaid carers are significantly more likely to report being in poor health compared to non-carers. Mental health issues, including stress and depression, are particularly common among those providing more than 50 hours of care per week. With so many stretched beyond their limits, it is no surprise that a growing number are struggling to cope.
Financial strain only exacerbates these challenges. The Carer’s Allowance, which provides just £81.90 per week for those caring for at least 35 hours, is simply inadequate for most. The time and flexibility that caring responsibilities require mean many carers are forced to reduce their working hours or leave employment altogether, placing them in a precarious financial position.
What needs to change?
The struggles faced by unpaid carers highlight the broader instability of the UK’s social care system. A shortage of paid carers, high vacancy rates, and increased reliance on unpaid care are stretching the system to breaking point. The lack of investment in respite services reflects a deeper issue: without sufficient funding and workforce planning, the system will only further rely on unpaid carers to fill the gaps.
While the government has acknowledged the immense contribution of unpaid carers and pledged to increase funding through the Better Care Fund, campaigners have argued that much more is needed. Access to respite services must be guaranteed to ensure carers have the opportunity to rest. Without the vital work of unpaid carers, their caring responsibilities would pass back into a system that is already cracking under the weight of demand.
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, has called for “long-term, sustainable funding” to ensure that local authorities are able to fulfil their duties under the Care Act 2014. Financial support must also be addressed, with calls for an increase in Carer’s Allowance – a key policy for the Liberal Democrats led by Sir Ed Davey who has been vocal about his own experience as a carer for his son – and more flexible employment policies to help carers remain secure. In addition, the ongoing workforce shortages in social care must be tackled, ensuring that sufficient system support is available to reduce the burden on unpaid carers.
As discussions around health and social care reform continue, the needs of unpaid carers must be central to the conversation and the upcoming independent commission on a National Care Service must factor in the significant role they play. If the current system continues to lean so heavily on informal, unpaid labour, the risks to both carers and those they support will only intensify.
