Notes: Carer Statistics for UK, America and Australia

Note 1

  • Today, one in nine people in any workplace are juggling work with caring for older, ill or disabled loved ones. [Caring (Carers UK Magazine) Spring 2018 Issue 48].
  • More than 1 in 6 Americans working full-time or part-time report assisting with the care of an elderly or disabled family member, relative, or friend. [www.caregiver.org/caregiver-statistics-work-and-caregiving].
  • 1 in 8 Australian employees are carers. [Work & Care: The Necessary Investment –www.carersaustralia.com.au].

Note 2

  • The majority of carers are of working age and the peak age for caring (50 - 64) often coincides with the peak of an individual’s career. One in five people in this age bracket are carers, [UK Census, 2011].
  • One in five carers gives up employment to care [Carers Trust https://carers.org/key-facts-about-carers-and-people-they-care]
  • The more experienced a staff member, the higher the costs of replacing them if they leave. Employees are more likely to become carers between 45–64 years of age and failing to retain these experienced workers will represent a significant loss of resources and knowledge. [Work & Care: The Necessary Investment –www.carersaustralia.com.au].

Note 3

  • The number of working age carers is set to increase as our population and workforce ages, with an estimated 40% rise in the number of carers needed by 2037, meaning the carer population in the UK will reach 9 million. (It Could Be You, Carers UK, 2001).
  • The group of people aged 50 plus now makes up 31 per cent of the UK workforce, up from 26 per cent a decade ago and 21 per cent in 1992. If the number continues growing at the current rate, those aged 50 and older will be the dominant group by 2025. [Figures produced by Alistair McQueen of Aviva Insurers https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2017/05/uk-aviva-comments-on-the-record-number-of-over-50s-in-employment-17770/].

Note 4

  • Only 56% of caregivers report that their work supervisor is aware of their caregiving responsibilities (76% for higher hour caregivers, 49% for lower hour). [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S.].