Primary Carers

Slightly less than one in five carers (19%) were primary carers (475,000 people). That is, they were the main carer for a person who was limited in carrying out core everyday activities such as mobility, communication, or self-care. Both primary carers and the larger group of other carers (close to 2 million) contribute to the wellbeing of older people and people with disabilities. However, because they care for people who otherwise would have difficulty carrying out basic everyday activities, there is particular interest in primary carers: in the contribution they make, their wellbeing, labour force experiences, motivations, and the support they receive in caring. Primary carers were more likely than other carers to be assisting someone who lived in the same household (81% compared with 76%). As with caring overall, the likelihood of being a primary carer increased with age, peaking at age 55-64 years, when one in twenty people were primary carers. However, rather than then declining, the likelihood of being a primary carer remained at around this level among the older age groups. Consequently, primary carers had a somewhat older age profile than other carers.