Social care system is now at 'breaking point'

Huge increase in unpaid carers over past decade

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ENGLAND'S social care system is at 'breaking point,' with the number of unpaid carers increasing by 70% over the past two decades, according to a report.

Research for the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) found rising demand, shrinking supply, and a growing reliance on unpaid carers.

Analysis for the report, conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), revealed the number of people providing 35 hours or more a week of care increased from 1.1 million in 2003/04 to 1.9 million in 2023/24.

New requests for support increased from 1.8 million in 2015/16 to 2.1 million in 2023/24, mainly from working age adults increasingly needing care.

There has been a 15% rise in people requesting some form of adult social care which has only been met with a 2.5% increase in those receiving it, according to the research.

The report says unpaid care whether by parents, spouses or adult children and most frequently women - is relied on too heavily to fill in the gaps of the 'inadequate and expensive' adult social care system.