In Carers Week 2025, Age UK is calling on Government to provide more support for unpaid carers and is highlighting the concerning position of our 2.1 million unpaid older carers (65+) who shoulder an enormous amount of responsibility, often without the support they need.
Age UK’s latest analysis finds that 2.1 million carers are aged 65 plus; 420,000 aged 80 and above; and all of them navigating the difficulties in caring for a loved one when they themselves are ageing.
“Too many older carers are clearly living less well than they could and should, and their health is at risk as a result,” they say.
This year’s theme “Caring About Equality”, highlights the inequalities unpaid carers face and what is needed to create a fairer society for them. Inequalities create negative impacts for carers’ lives, including by putting them at increased risk of financial hardship, social isolation, and poor mental & physical health.
Recent analysis by Age UK shows that older carers are more likely than older non-carers to be struggling financially: 27% of carers aged 65+ say they’re just about managing or finding it difficult to manage financially [compared to 21% of non-carers aged 65+].
Polling by Age UK reveals that:
• 900,000 older carers had felt tired because of the care or support they provide.
• 900,000 older carers had felt anxious because of the care or support they provide.
• 500,000 older carers had felt overwhelmed because of the care or support they provide.
• 350,000 older carers had felt lonely because of the care or support they provide.
Moreover: Age UK’s analysis for Carer’s Week finds that:
• 55% of older carers have a long-term illness or disability, equivalent to 1.2 million
• 66% of older carers lost sleep over worry, equivalent to 1.4 million
• 74% of older carers felt under strain, equivalent to 1.6 million
• 25% of older carers enjoyed day-to-day activities less than usual, equivalent to 530,000
• 62% of older carers felt unhappy or depressed, equivalent to 1.3 million
The Charity also found 750,000 of older carers expected the amount of care or support they provide to increase in the next 12 months. Also, 85% of older carers, equivalent to 1.6 million, worried about whether they would be able to keep caring or providing support. Further, 69% of older carers, equivalent to 1.3 million, say caring impacts their physical health, while 1.1 million, 63% of older carers, say their caring impacts their mental health.
The latest Carers Week report suggests there are 11.9 million people of all ages currently providing unpaid care to family members and friends who are ill, disabled, or elderly.
The cost of the support unpaid carers of all ages provide is significant. In 2024, research from Centre for Care and Carers UK found the economic value of the cost of support provided by unpaid carers of any age amounted to £184 billion a year.
Age UK is calling for greater equality for all carers and for the Government to commit to introducing a National Carers Strategy that helps to address the challenges carers face.
