UK unpaid carers: 1,500 people resigning daily to care for loved ones

An estimated 1,500 people in the UK are resigning from their jobs every day to become unpaid carers for loved ones. According to research from the charity Carers UK, this trend is driven by the increasing difficulty of balancing professional responsibilities with the growing needs of aging, ill, or disabled relatives, alongside declining access to state-funded social care services.

The report indicates that the number of unpaid carers in the UK has risen to approximately 11 million, up from 8.8 million in 2019. Furthermore, one in five workers—roughly 6.7 million people—are currently attempting to juggle paid employment with caregiving duties. This pressure often leads to significant career and financial sacrifices, including reducing working hours, turning down promotions, or accepting lower-paid roles.

Carers UK is calling for government intervention to strengthen employment rights. Specific recommendations include the introduction of a statutory entitlement to 10 days of annual paid carer’s leave. The charity also urged that upcoming independent reviews of adult social care prioritize policy changes that make it easier for individuals to combine work and unpaid care.