Survey of Unpaid Carers 2024

• Most carers who responded to the survey were white females between the ages of 35 and 64. The majority were caring for one person. 
• Nearly a third were caring for 90 hours or more per week and a third of these were caring for more than one person.
• Most carers lived with the person they cared for and this was mostly their partner or their child.
• Most respondents believe that their needs as a carer are not equally recognised, understood, and valued.
• The key worries for carers in South Tyneside are:

1. Their own health and wellbeing
2. Being able to juggle paid work and care
3. Money and the cost of living

Carer's health and wellbeing

• Most carers are worried about the impact of their caring role on their own health and wellbeing.
• They are not putting their own physical and mental health first and they don't know what support is available in their area to help them manage this.
• A high proportion of carers are having poor sleep and sadly over half are not satisfied with their life right now.
• Carers are missing out on social activities and a very high proportion feel lonely.
• Over half of carers also said they miss out on time for themselves or a break, going on holiday and doing hobbies. These are all things that can help carers health and wellbeing.
• Carers said getting some support with paying for social or leisure activities would help with their social life and time for themselves.
• A quarter of carers said their relationship had got worse with the person they care for, this tended to be more so if it was their partner / spouse.

Access to support and social care assessments

• The majority of carers don't get support for themselves or the person they care for because they don't know about the support that is available and they can't ask for help because they are expected to do the caring.
• When it comes to digital support over half of carers have a digital device and are confident using it.
• The majority of carers who responded to the survey had not had a social care assessment in the last 12 months. Although the figures were quite small for those that have had an assessment, the majority said it was useful and lead to meaningful support. 
• The most common reasons carers had not had a social care assessment was because they didn't know what an assessment was or how it could help them and they didn't think an assessment for them or the person they care for would help or be beneficial.

Work and money

• Over half of carers are also working full or part time. 15% of those working full time were also providing 90 hours or more of care per week.
• Of those that had experience of balancing work with caring, the majority said work gives them a purpose outside their caring role.
• Almost half of those balancing work with caring responsibilities feel anxious while at work and have given up opportunities at work.
• The majority of working carers said having the ability to take time off either paid or unpaid would help them balance caring with paid work.
• Unsurprising, given the rise in the cost of living, a significant proportion of all carers who responded to the survey are worried about their monthly living costs and ability to manage in the future.
• Of these carers, caring was more likely to have a significant impact on their mental health.
• In the last 12 months over half of carers who responded to the survey have been unable to keep their home warm and over half have cut down on the size of meals or skipped meals.
• Carers are coping financially by cutting back much more on activities which improve wellbeing, such as hobbies and leisure, and time with family and friends.
• A quarter are coping by cutting back on essentials like food and heating. A third are using bank overdraft / loan or credit cards to cope financially. These figures almost double if the carer is receiving carers allowance.