Marvin Onumonu43% of current or former carers in the UK, around 10.7 million people, developed a new health problem or saw an existing one worsen after taking on caring responsibilities, research from Carers UK for Carers Week 2025 found.
This rose to 48% for those currently caring.
A poll showed 58% of current and former carers felt at a disadvantage, saying they could not look after their mental or physical health the same way as those without caring duties.
The 2024 GP Patient Survey in England showed 70% of carers reported having a long-term health condition, disability or illness, compared to 59% of non-carers.
Carers who developed or saw health conditions worsen said taking regular breaks from caring would have helped, with 39% pointing to this as a solution.
Of those currently caring, 40% said they had postponed or cancelled a medical appointment, test or treatment due to their caring role.
Among those cancelling appointments, 44% could not find one at a suitable time.
Current and former carers said they could not find appointments at a time they could attend (39%), did not have the support needed to attend (30%), or could not find affordable, available replacement care (24%).
A higher proportion of female carers said they faced disadvantages with their health compared to males, at 64% compared to 52%.
Helen Walker, CEO of Carers UK, said: “Sadly, caring for someone often comes at a personal cost and carers still face significant inequalities.
“If you are caring for someone it’s likely that you will experience poorer health, financial strain, challenges accessing employment and education opportunities and be at greater risk of loneliness and isolation.
“It can be a negative cycle for many carers who experience worsening physical or mental health and are unable to take a break to look after themselves.”
Walker added: “The impact of this can be long-lasting, but we know that change is possible – from the Government investing more in support for unpaid carers and the NHS having clear measures of help for carers, to rights at work and support within education.
“So often carers feel invisible and overlooked, but we can all make a difference by caring about equality and taking action to recognise and support unpaid carers.”
Ariam Enraght-Moony, chief people officer at TSB, said: “As the number of carers increase, so must our commitment to support them.
“That’s why, for the past five years, TSB has made it possible to balance work with caring responsibilities – providing 70 hours of paid carer’s leave every 12 months – plus wider support including access to a care management service to help navigate each step of the care journey.
“In light of this growing need and its impact on our economy, it’s time that paid carer’s leave was more widely available across the UK.”
