Caring About Equality

During Carers Week 2025, 9-15 June, WAMES is joining the call for a fairer society for all our unpaid carers.

The Caring about Equality report  highlights the inequalities facing unpaid carers in the UK today and the steps needed to create a fairer society for carers.

Unpaid carers are the backbone of our society, propping up fragile health and social care systems and providing essential care to friends and family who need their support. Despite carers’ huge contribution to our communities, many carers still feel undervalued and unsupported.

Inequalities can negatively impact all aspects of carers’ lives, putting carers at a greater risk of poor mental and physical health, social isolation, financial hardship, and poverty. Far too often, carers miss out on opportunities in their education, careers, or personal lives, just because of their caring role.

The inequalities that carers face mean that:

• 70% of carers have a long-term physical or mental health condition, disability or illness compared to 59% of non-carers
• the poverty rate for carers is 50 % higher than for people who do not provide care
• young adult carers are 38% less likely to achieve a university degree than their peers
• 1 in 4 carers of working carers have had to take on a lower paid or more junior role.
• Carers should have the same life chances and opportunities as people without caring responsibilities. To make this happen, action is needed right across the board, with government, schools, colleges, universities, workplaces and health and social care services all having a vital role to play.

Together let’s strive for an equal society, where carers can fulfil their own aspirations and lead healthy and financially secure lives.