More pensioners forced into unpaid care for elderly spouses

Pensioners now provide loved ones with the highest hours of unpaid care per week, analysis of the 2021 census found. Women aged between 75 to 79 and men between 85 to 89 are more likely to spend 50 hours or more offering devoted attention than all other age groups.

Shockingly, there has been an increase in the number of women aged 85 years-plus taking on the burden – 6.3 percent in 2021 compared with 5.9 percent in the 2011 census.

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said: “At a point in life where they can do less than they once could and likely dealing with health problems of their own, this group must be better supported.

“Similarly, given those over 70 are most likely to be providing 50 hours or more of unpaid care per week, it’s imperative the Government delivers the funding our social care system ­
so desperately needs so that these older carers can get support and ­necessary breaks.

“It’s less surprising that those aged 50-59 are most likely to care overall, but they too need help.”

The highest proportion of unpaid carers in the older age groups live in Nottinghamshire, data released by the Office for National Statistics showed yesterday.

Almost one in five (19.7 percent) of people aged 50-54 and 21.8 percent of 55 to 59-year-olds who live in Mansfield care for others.

And Ashfield, also in Notts, is highest for those aged 60-64 (20.8 percent) and 65-69 (15.3 percent).

Bolsover, Derbyshire, is top for those aged 70-74 (14.1 percent) and 75-79 (13.1 percent).

Amber Valley, Derbyshire has the highest for 80 to 84-year-olds (12.6 percent), Brentwood, Essex, is highest for 85 to 89-year-olds (10.8 percent) and Rutland, East Midlands, is highest for people aged 90-plus caring for other (8.5 percent).

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “As public funding for care completely fails to keep up with the increased demand for support from growing numbers of older and disabled people, we worry that very old people are having to ­fill the gap.

“They can’t do it all on their ­ own, they need more help, and ­we shouldn’t take advantage of ­their determination to do right by those they love.”

Paddy Lillis, general secretary of the Union of Shop Distributive & Allied Workers (Usdaw), said: “The vast majority of care in the UK is provided by family and friends and it is no surprise to us that it is mainly older women workers who are stepping in to fill the gap.”

Overall there were approximately 4.7 million unpaid carers in England and 310,000 in Wales at the time of the census in March 2021. That is the equivalent of 8.9 percent and 10.5 percent of the usual resident population aged five and over.

In every region of England, the proportion of people doing unpaid care is highest in the 55 to 59-year-old age group, ranging from 17.9 percent in the North-east to 14.1 percent in London.

Areas in the North-west tend to have the highest proportion of unpaid carers among younger age groups, while the East Midlands ­
has the highest among many of the older age groups.