A shortfall of one million unpaid carers by 2050: what new research says
New Carers Trust research with Public First puts the unpaid carer shortfall at 600,000 by 2035 and up to one million by 2050. What the figures mean for families who care now.
Looking after someone at home can feel like the only option, and for millions of families it is. New research says the gap between who needs care and who can give it is set to widen fast.
What the research found
On 8 October 2026 Carers Trust published Caring in 2035, research by Public First (Carers Trust). It estimates that:
- the UK will be short of 600,000 unpaid carers by 2035, and up to one million by 2050
- 10.3 million people will need care by 2050, up from 8.4 million in 2025
- 1.2 million unpaid carers already give care hours that equate to a full-time job
- 1.6 million unpaid carers will be in poverty by 2035, rising to over 2 million by 2050
The shortfall is the gap between how many carers will be needed and how many people are in a position to care if today's pattern of who cares stays the same. Paid social care, the research says, will not grow fast enough to close the gap either.
Kirsty McHugh, Carers Trust's chief executive, said "Almost all of us will either care for a loved one or be cared for in turn at some point in our lives" (Carers Trust, 8 October 2026).
What this means for you
- Ask for a carer's assessment from your local council if you have not had one. Every carer who has an assessment should be asked about emergencies and offered help to plan for them (Carers UK).
- Make a back-up plan for days when you cannot be there, and share it with people you trust.
- Look at your rights at work, including unpaid Carer's Leave and time off for dependants, and talk to your employer about flexible working.
- Claim what you may be entitled to, such as Carer's Allowance, Carer's Credit or Attendance Allowance for the person you look after, using GOV.UK and free advice from Carers UK or Citizens Advice.
- Join local carer support through Carers Trust's network of local services, or your council's carers' service.
If you're worried about their health, contact their GP or NHS 111. In an emergency call 999.
Guidance only. Your council and DWP make the decisions that apply to you.
We're building Coming Home: Family Care, a UK iPhone app to help families share the jobs of caring and keep the important details in one place. Join the waitlist.
Original source: Caring in 2035: The growing gap in unpaid care, Carers Trust