The most recent official figures on carers come from the 2001 census which found that approximately 12% of the adult population act as carers.

Women have a 50:50 chance of providing care by the time they are 59, compared with men who have the same chance by the time they are 75.

More than one in five people aged 50-59 (1.5 million across the UK) are providing some unpaid care. One in four women in this age group is providing some care compared with 18% of men. This compares with 6% of adults aged 18 to 34, 12.5% aged 35 to 44, and 11.5% aged 65 or over.

The 2001 census found that around 3 million people combine work and caring responsibilities for a disabled, ill or frail relative or friend. Of those, over 2 million carers worked full time and a million part time. Male carers are more likely to be in work than females.

(January 2010)