36.3% of carers reported feeling very or extremely satisfied with support and services in 2021–22 (down from 38.6% in 2018–19), according to a survey of 43,525 adult carers in England, published today by NHS Digital.
The percentage of carers who reported feeling very or extremely dissatisfied increased from 7.2% in 2018–192 to 8.5% in 2021–22.
In 2021–22, over half of carers (57.2%) reported their caring role had not caused any financial difficulties over the last 12 months, an increase from 53.4% in 2018–19.
The Survey of Adult Carers in England 2021–22 reports on the views of 43,525 carers who are caring for a person aged 18 and over.
The national survey5 usually takes place every other year and provides crucial information about the impact of people’s caring responsibilities on their quality of life, to enable greater understanding of the impact of carer support services and can inform service development.
The results of the survey revealed that over two thirds of carers (67.2%) feel that they have as much control as they want over their daily life and also feel encouraged and supported in their caring role.
The report also provides information relating to the carer and their wider experiences of providing care.
- The percentage of carers with a mental health problem or illness rose from 10.9% in 2018–19 to 13.2% in 2021–22.
- Most carers who care for someone aged 18 to 24 (81.1%) have been caring for them for over 15 years.
Looking at the eligible population of all known unpaid adult carers6, not just those who responded to the survey:
- The majority of carers whose gender was known were female (67.7%).
- The age band with the most carers was 55–64 years, which accounted for 25.4% of carers. The band with the fewest carers was 18–24 years which accounted for 1.9% of carers.
