Skip to content
You are here: Home | Data | Unpaid Carers - Data

Unpaid Carers - Data

Consultations

 

Impact Assessments

Data 

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 defines a carer as someone who provides or intends to provide care for someone else which is not paid or part of voluntary work. When the care is provided to someone under the age of 18 it does not include care provided because of their age.

13% of the Midlothian population are carers. Many carers do not identify what they do as “caring”.

Two thirds of identified carers are women (VOCAL, Midlothian Carer Survey 2021). Women are more likely than men to view what they do as part of their existing role.

2,173 people reported providing more than 50 hours care per week.

Most carers provide care to a parent, closely followed by care to other relatives including spouses, children and siblings.

They are most likely caring for someone with a physical health condition, who has dementia, or who is frail or elderly (VOCAL, Midlothian Carer Survey 2021).

In the 2021 VOCAL Carers survey, 79% of respondents in Midlothian agreed that being a carer has affected their mental health, with 38% strongly agreeing. This is an increase on the 2017 survey where 55% agreed with the statement “being a carer has made my health worse” (VOCAL, Midlothian Carer Survey 2021)

Intensive caring can result in carers being more likely to experience ill-health than non-carers, 64% agreed that being a carer affected their physical health.  The survey demonstrated that respondents have experienced barriers accessing care for themselves due to caring responsibilities, 49% of respondents have experiences at least one barrier to accessing care for themselves. In the 2021 survey, 51% of carers agreed they felt isolated from family and friends, which is an increase from 42% in 2017, the pandemic could have impacted on this response.

32% of carers feel supported to continue in their caring role (VOCAL, Midlothian Carer Survey 2021). This is lower than the Scottish average of 34%. 

Across Scotland the largest proportion of households with a carer (28%) are in the 20% most deprived data zones in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. There is evidence of the financial and economic impact of caring: 20% of respondents are paying for care out of their own savings; 27% have had to reduce their working hours and 31% have had to give up work altogether. 22% have lost out on NI or pension contributions as a result (VOCAL, Midlothian Carer Survey 2021).

Over half of carers in the 2021 VOCAL survey described how they find it hard taking a break from caring, citing feelings of stress, guilt and worry. 87% of respondents experienced challenged when taking a break and all the barriers are experience to a greater extent than in 2017. As part of the legislative changes a break from caring must be considered when carrying out an Adult Carer Support Plan. The consideration of emergency planning for carers is also requirement of the new legislation and is seen as helpful in promoting a prevention agenda. 87% of respondents expressed concern about contingency planning, again higher than in 2017 (VOCAL, Midlothian Carer Survey 2021).

Page updated October 2024