You are a carer if you are regularly supporting a family member, or friend who is unwell, frail, living with a disability or a mental health condition.
This could be a child, adult or older person. Research has reported that:
- 40,200 carers in Belfast equates to 12% of the population of Belfast.1
- Each year, carers save the NI Executive £5.8 billion2
- 28% of carers described their mental health as very bad or bad. 88% of carers reported low mood and 74% expressed a sense of fear and dread2
- 39% of carers said they had put off health treatment because of their caring role2
- 220,000 people are providing unpaid care for sick or disabled family members or friends in Northern Ireland representing circa 1 in 8 adults1
- 28% of carers in NI live in poverty with 35% of those receiving Carers Allowance struggling to afford to eat3
- 52% of carers said their physical health had suffered due to caring, with 28% having a disability2
- 3,943 carers are from ethnically diverse communities in Northern Ireland1
- 669 children under 18 provide 1 – 19 hours and 298 provide 19+ hours of unpaid care in Belfast1
- 68,000 carers provide 50+ hours of caring in a week with 44% of women caring 50+ hours2
- Nearly 60% of women are providing unpaid care, 34% of women gave up their jobs to care and 28% decreased working hours4
- 29% of carers said they felt lonely always or often and socially isolated2
1 Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, Census 2021: Unpaid care
2 Carers UK (2023) The State of Caring 2023: The impact of caring in Northern Ireland, November 2023
3 Carer Poverty Commission: Policy Measures to tackle poverty among unpaid care in Northern Ireland
4 Career or care: Women, unpaid caring and employment in Northern Ireland, Carer Poverty Commission, Carers NI and the Women’s Regional Consortium (February 2024)