Half of Wales’ unpaid carers cutting back on essentials amid deepening crisis

Unpaid carers in Wales are experiencing a deepening financial crisis, with a dramatic rise in the number forced to make impossible choices between heating their homes and feeding themselves, a report has revealed.

The new State of Caring in Wales 2025: The Cost of Caring report reveals that financial pressures on carers have intensified at an alarming rate, with many now on the brink of financial collapse.

Of the 900 plus carers surveyed between June and August 2025, a quarter (25%) said they are struggling to make ends meet and 11% are in debt as a result of caring.

Debt

The situation has deteriorated sharply over the past year, with the number of carers cutting back on essentials rising by more than half compared to 2024.

Carers are increasingly turning to debt to survive their caring roles. More than a third (36%) have taken out bank loans, used credit cards or relied on overdrafts – a 33% increase in just one year. For carers who are already struggling to make ends meet, this figure rises to nearly two-thirds (65%).

The human cost of this financial crisis is profound. Nearly 4 in 10 carers (39%) report their mental health is bad or very bad, while 69% have been forced to cut back on hobbies and social activities – a 21% increase from 2023. More than three quarters (77%) feel stressed or anxious, and two-thirds (66%) struggle to get a good night’s sleep.

‘Joke’

Many carers described taking drastic measures to cope with rising costs:

• “I skip meals most days to cover my costs. Financial support is a joke.”
• “Whatever I do, I never have enough. There is always money going out and I can’t stop
the run. Short term debt is how we survive.”
• “Even skipping meals and not buying any new clothes is not enough to keep me out of
debt.”

The financial burden is particularly acute for carers receiving social security benefits. 42% of carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance – the UK’s lowest benefit at just £83.30 per week – are struggling to make ends meet, and 64% are worried about living costs and whether they can manage in the future.

Two-thirds of carers (66%) say their caring role has prevented them from focusing on their career, while nearly 3 in 10 employed carers (29%) have reduced their working hours because of care. This creates a devastating cycle where carers lose income just as their expenses increase, pushing them deeper into poverty.

Budget

There are over 310,000 unpaid carers in Wales providing care for ill, older or disabled family members or friends. Research estimates that it would cost over £10 billion per year to replace the care they provide, equivalent to the entire NHS Wales budget.

Yet around 100,000 unpaid carers in Wales are living in poverty, with carers 30% more likely to be in poverty than the general population and 50% more likely to be in deep poverty.

Rob Simkins, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers Wales, said: “This report reveals a crisis that is accelerating at a frightening pace. In just one year, we’ve seen a 53% increase in carers forced to cut back on essentials like food and heating.

“These are not statistics – they are our family members, friends and neighbours who are skipping meals, falling into debt, and sacrificing their own health to care for loved ones.

“Wales cannot continue to rely on hundreds of thousands of people providing billions of pounds worth of care while simultaneously pushing them into poverty and ill health. The system is broken and carers are paying the price with their physical and mental well-being, their careers, and their financial security.

“We need urgent action from both the Welsh and UK Governments. This means proper financial support through reforms to Carer’s Allowance, a Carer’s Allowance Supplement for Wales, and ensuring carers can access the social care support they are legally entitled to.

“Without immediate intervention, we’re heading towards a carer crisis that will utterly overwhelm our health and social care system. The time for action is now.”

Survey

Carers Wales carried out an online State of Caring survey between June and August 2025, receiving over 10,500 responses from unpaid carers across the UK, including over 900 in Wales.

Of the respondents currently caring to the survey:
• 63% are caring for more than 50 hours a week
• 74% of respondents were aged 18-64 years and 26% were aged 65 and over
• The biggest proportion of respondents were in the 55-64 year category (39%)
• 84% of respondents were female, 15% were male
• 30% of respondents had a disability

Carers Wales is part of Carers UK, a charity led by carers, for carers, with a mission is to make life better for carers.