The big picture

Carers in Wales

1. There are over 370,000 carers in Wales
2. Carers save the Welsh economy £8.1 billion every year 
3. Every year 123,000 people become carers in Wales
4. It is estimated unpaid carers and families provide 96 per cent of the care in Wales

Carers across the UK

1. There are around seven million carers in the UK – one in ten people
2. Three in five people will be carers at some point in their lives in the UK
3. The economic value of the contribution made by carers in the UK is £132 billion a year
4. By 2030, the number of carers in the UK will increase by 3.4 million (around 60%)

Young carers across the UK

1. 68% of young carers are bullied in schools
2. Only half of young carers have a particular person in school who recognises that they are a carer and helps them

Older carers

1. One in five people aged 50–64 are carers in the UK
2. 65% of older carers (aged 60–94) have long-term health problems or a disability themselves
3. 68.8% of older carers say that being a carer has an adverse effect on their mental health
4. One third of older carers say they have cancelled treatment or an operation for themselves because of their caring responsibilities

Caring and work

1. Nearly one in eight workers is a carer
2. One in five carers gives up employment to care
3. There are 4.27 million carers of working age living in the UK   
4. The employment rate for carers is at 67%, over half of those who are not working say that they want to work 

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Sources:

Carers Trust

Carers Wales

Social Care Wales