The Social Care Institute for Excellence has responded to the new Carers UK report, ‘State of Caring 2025: The cost of caring – the impact of caring across carers’ lives.’
The report lays bare the profound and multifaceted costs that are borne by the UK’s 5.8 million unpaid carers and provides a detailed analysis of how financial pressures, inadequate support, and increasing caring responsibilities are affecting unpaid carers’ lives.
Kathryn Marsden OBE, chief executive of SCIE, said: “The findings from Carers UK echo what we continue to hear across the sector – unpaid carers are the backbone of our health and care system, yet too many are reaching breaking point. The cost of caring is more than just financial; it is emotional, social, and physical. As caring responsibilities intensify, too many people are being forced to choose between their own wellbeing, work, and the people they love. This is not sustainable – for carers or for the system that depends on them.
“As government action moves forward supporting the adult social care workforce through the Fair Pay Agreement, there is a pressing need for equal attention to unpaid carers. Carers should not be an afterthought in policy or practice – they should be at the centre of a reformed and fair care system.”
