Zarah ChoudharyNearly two-thirds (64%) of employees acting as carers for loved ones have reported a negative effect on their mental health, while 59% have experienced increased anxiety and stress, according to Just Group.
A survey of 1,000 people aged 45 to 75 providing care for a relative revealed that three-quarters feel ‘on call’ for at least half the week, including nights, while almost half said they feel as though their life is no longer their own.
Two-fifths (41%) felt more isolated due to their caring responsibilities, while 52% worried about committing to social events in case they need to provide care.
The strain extended to personal relationships, with more than a third saying their caregiving duties have negatively affected their relationships.
Among this group, 37% said it had caused issues with their partner, and 6% cited it as a factor in their breakup or divorce; 39% said that caregiving had damaged their relationships with friends, while 30% reported harm to sibling relationships.
Despite the high personal cost, three-quarters said they were glad to be providing the care themselves rather than relying on someone else, and 60% believed they were fulfilling a social purpose.
Previous analysis from Just Group also highlighted the financial burden of caregiving, with carers losing an average of £6,468 per year in earnings due to reducing their hours or stopping work altogether.
One in six said the financial impact exceeded £1,000 a month.
Stephen Lowe, group communications director at Just Group, said: “This research paints a bleak picture of social isolation, anxiety and damaged relationships – this is the daily reality for the millions of people up and down the country who are providing care for a family member – the hidden cost of care.
“The ties that bind are strong and while most people are glad to look after family members, it’s clear that providing this care comes at a high personal and financial cost.
“Perhaps the most telling figure in the findings is that 68% of carers said that providing care had made them more worried about becoming elderly.
“It suggests a society in which people fear later life and the prospect of needing care.
“Yet, time and again, we see people reluctant to put plans in place for this very eventuality because they say they’re waiting to see what the government will do.
“The public continues to be tantalised by promises of fixing the problem of social care and the latest government announcement is likely to drive four more years, at the very least, of paralysis rather than planning.
“As our research shows, millions of unpaid carers are making daily sacrifices to step into the breach and support family members.
“The longer a government takes to deliver a policy the longer the burden will lie on the shoulders of vulnerable people and their families.”
