5m in England and Wales provide unpaid care, census shows

Figures show 1.5m give more than 50 hours a week, as care system struggles with rising demand

Five million people – including children as young as five – now provide unpaid care to people with long-term health conditions or problems related to old age, census data for England and Wales has revealed.

With the social care system struggling with rising unmet care demand and about half a million people in England waiting for help, there has been an increase over the last decade in the proportion of people spending at least 20 hours a week on unpaid care, from 4.2% of the population to 4.7%. About 1.5 million people in England and Wales now spend more than 50 hours a week giving unpaid care.

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.