This survey is the UK’s most comprehensive research into the lives and experience of carers. In 2019, over 8,000 current and former carers shared their experiences and helped inform Carers UK’s State of Caring 2019 report.

Caring costs: Almost 2 in 5 carers (39%) responding to the survey said they are ‘struggling to make ends meet’. Over two thirds of carers (68%) reported regularly using their own income or savings to pay for care or support services, equipment or products for the person they care for.

Cuts to support: 1 in 8 (12%) of carers reported that they or those they support received less care or support services during the previous year due to a reduction in the amount of support from social services

Carers put themselves last: 53% of carers said that they are not able to save for their retirement, and almost two thirds of carers (64%) say that they have focussed on the care needs of the person they care for, and not on their own needs.

Read more in the full report here: carersuk.org/stateofcaring-report.

Carers UK used the evidence of the impact of caring to call for all political parties to increase support and recognition for carers.

The responses enabled Carers UK to provide comprehensive evidence as part of their ongoing work with Sport England to investigate the barriers carers face in taking part in physical activity.

Building on evidence from previous years, experiences of working while caring was included in the Carers UK’s response to the Government Good Work Plan consultation, making the case for employers to provide more support for carers. As a result, the Government has committed to consulting on the introduction of Care Leave for working carers.

The 2020 survey is now open and will close on 17 May 2020. You can complete the survey at the following link: www.carersuk.org/news-and-campaigns/state-of-caring-survey-2020

To request a paper copy of the 2020 survey, contact Carers UK’s policy team by emailing policy@carersuk.org