Research
Carers Scotland and Carers UK research reports contain evidence of carers' experiences, statistics and policy recommendations. You can download summaries of the research below.
Please note: you are welcome to utilise any of our reports and research. However, you must acknowledge Carers Scotland/Carers UK copyright when reproducing any of the contents within your own publications and websites. Any website reproduction must contain a link to the Carers Scotland website.
Carers in Crisis - Summary results for Scotland (December 2008)
Alarming new statistics reveal that Scotland’s 660,000 unpaid carers are under even more pressure as living costs rise and the economic crisis affects ever more families. Nine in ten (88%) say their financial position is worse than 12 months ago. Yet they provide vital support, unpaid, for their elderly, sick or disabled relatives, making a contribution worth £7.6 billion a year to the Scottish economy. Half of all carers are cutting back on food just to make ends meet. 34% of those paying a rent or mortgage say they cannot afford to pay it, more than 3 times the rate in 2007 (34% in 2008, 10% in 2007). Three quarters (79%) are struggling to pay utility bills – up from 32% last year, with 73% in fuel poverty (paying more than 10% of their income on fuel bills). 79% cannot afford essential repairs to the home – a situation less than one third found themselves in last year. Because of high petrol costs, one quarter were cutting down on essential journeys, for example, to go food shopping or visit the doctor.
Carers in Crisis (December 2008)
New research has unveiled extreme hardship among the nation’s carers as living costs rise and the economic crisis affects ever more families. The nation’s carers are living under extreme financial pressure and many are cutting back on essentials to make ends meet. Like other families they are feeling the pinch as living costs rise and the economic crisis spreads across the economy. However unlike other people, carers have always found things difficult. Due to their caring responsibilities they have less opportunity to earn and many are forced to live on benefits. Yet carers also face higher costs associated with caring, such as higher heating, water and transport costs. At the same time many do not get any support from social services. Most families do not receive publicly funded care, so are forced to arrange their own care which can be expensive and poor quality. This new survey reveals that in 2008 carers are in crisis. Despite providing essential unpaid support for their elderly, sick or disabled relatives, making a contribution worth £7.6 billion a year, they are not properly recognised or rewarded.
Out of Pocket (December 2007)
Our new research shows how much working age carers lose out on earnings due to giving up work, cutting their hours or taking a more junior position. Based on a Carers Scotland and Carers UK survey of 3,000 carers this research shows that the average loss in earnings last year by carers who had either to give up their job, reduce their hours or take a more junior position in order to care for sick, frail or disabled relatives or partners, was over £11,000.
Report 1 - Stages and transitions in the experience of caring (October 2007)
Carers Employment and Services Report No. 1 is about how carers access and experience the support and services they need to undertake their caring role and to maintain their own health and wellbeing at different stages of caring. It includes evidence about the kind of support carers who are in paid work need and looks at how carers can be helped to care and to have a life outside caring too. The report examines new evidence, collected in 2006-7 (from the CES survey of 1,909 carers and in-depth face-to-face interviews with 134 carers), about the different services and support carers need at different points in their experience of caring, and how this is affected by who they care for and what their care needs are.
Report 2 - Managing Caring and Employment (October 2007)
Report No. 2 in the Carers Employment and Services series is about how services are used by carers to support them in managing caring alongside paid employment. The report also explores the difficulties carers face when trying to combine work and care if services do not meet their needs or are not available, and considers the situation of carers who have had to give up work in order to care, or who are trying to return to paid work after or during a period of caring. The report draws on evidence from the new CES survey which included 812 carers aged 16-64 who were employees – 444 employed full-time and 368 employed part-time – as well as 56 carers who were self-employed. We also use data from 93 carers in full-time or part-time employment who were interviewed face-to-face, and from the 50 unemployed carers in the CES survey who were actively seeking work.
Report 3 - Diversity in Caring: towards equality for carers (October 2007)
Report No. 3 in the Carers Employmetn and Services series highlights new evidence about carers in all their diversity and about how different groups of carers experience their caring situation, especially in relation to their ability to combine caring with paid employment. The CES study includes responses from ethnic minority carers, and extensive data about carers supporting someone living in a rural area, carers in difficult financial circumstances, and carers in poor health. This report illustrates the situation of these groups of carers with data from our qualitative interviews to explore how far carers with these characteristics have distinct needs or experiences, and explores how far these carers have needs which differentiate them from other carers.
Report 4 - Carers Employment and Services in their Local Context (October 2007)
Report 4 in the Carers Employment and Services series explores some of the differences in the services and support available to working carers and other carers considering combining work and care, according to where they live in Great Britain. After summarising the policy context in relation to carers as it has emerged over the past 10-15 years, and highlighting differences in social care arrangements between England, Scotland and Wales, the report presents data about working carers from the 2001 Census, and from the CES study of carers of working age conducted in 2006-7. The way services and support for working carers have developed in recent years in 10 selected localities is discussed, based on documentary analysis and interviews with key stakeholders. The report compares and contrasts local authority strategies and policy implementation in these localities, and considers how local authorities have worked with other agencies and the voluntary sector in developing their approach. It also presents evidence about the resources made available to support carers, and highlights examples of local innovation and effective practice.
Report 5 - ACE Partnership
CES Report No. 5 provides an overview of the ACE partnership 2002-7. It outlines the main purposes of ACE, which were to raise awareness of the barriers facing carers who want to work, and to test the mechanisms that can support them in combining work and care. ACE was designed to support for carers of working age, and the development of servicves which enable carers to work, with an emphasis on policy changes and reform. The report provides a summary of what the ACE project achieved through its operational, research, policy and transnational partnerships.
Report 6 - Time for a new social contract?
CES Report No. 6, which should be read in conjunction with the other CES reports, presents a summary of the main findings from the CES study about carers in England, Wales and Scotland. The report highlights the implications of teh study findings for the future public policy agends on carers of working age, setting out the rationale for developing better support for this group of carers at both local and national levels. Key challenges in developing services and provision are identified, and reccommendations are made about how they can be tackled by service providers, employers, central/local government publicly funded agencies, employers, families and individuals, based on the recognition that all parts of society have mutual obligations and expectations about providing and recieving care, and that these are central to the humanity of every citizen.
Report 7: Carers, Employment and Services in Scotland: focus on East Ayshire, Falkirk and Highland
In Scotland 243,672 people have both a paid job and upaid care responsibilities, supporting a relative, partner or friend who is sick, disabled and frail. This report focuses on the situation of carers living in Scotland and features detailed information about East Ayrshire, Falkirk and Highland. It uses official statistics and new datafrom the CES survey to explore the extent of unpaid caring among people of working age, and examines the circumstances of employed carers who live in Scotland and the views of those who took part in the study. There are 290 responses to the survey from carers of working age living in Scotland as a whole (including 60 from East Ayrshire, 63 from Falkirk and 137 from Highland) : 86% were providing 20+ hours of care per week and 47% were in employment. 27 of the 134 CES in-depth interviews were with carers in East Ayshire and Falkirk. The report outlines the support available to working carers in Scotland, highlights innovation and service developments, and offers a contribution to the current policy debate about the role of carers in the delivery of social care in Britain, and about carers' need for support.
Real change not short change (May 2007)
A deeply worrying new report on the long term financial impact of caring is launched by Carers Scotland and Carers UK. Based on a survey of nearly 3,000 carers, it finds that they face a severe financial penalty as soon as they start caring, unpaid, for a disabled or chronically ill relative or friend. Yet, by contrast, their support is worth a staggering £57 billion per year to the state.
Full report : Who Cares Wins: The Social and Business Benefits of Supporting Working Carers (2006)
New research shows that the adoption of flexible working practices can save businesses’ time and money – with some companies reporting savings of over £1 million. The research has been undertaken by the University of Sheffield Hallam’s Social Inclusion Centre
Summary report : Who Cares Wins: The Social and Business Benefits of Supporting Working Carers (2006)
New research shows that the adoption of flexible working practices can save businesses’ time and money – with some companies reporting savings of over £1 million. The research has been undertaken by the University of Sheffield Hallam’s Social Inclusion Centre.
Whose rights are they anyway? : Carers and the Human Rights Act (2006)
Carers are being let down because public authorities are failing to implement the Human Rights Act. This is having serious, and potentially life-threatening, consequences. The report examines the experiences of carers in the context of the main provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998. A hard copy of the report can be purchased for £10 incl. p&p - it can be ordered from: publications@carersuk.org or tel: 0870 774 0969
We Care - Do You? (2005)
The new ACE National partnership has now launched a research report - We Care - Do You? Conducted by The Centre for Social Inclusion, this ground breaking research identifies the factors that influence why, how and if carers access alternative care services that enable them to work.
In Poor Health: the impact of caring on health (3 December 2004)
A grim picture is revealed in a new survey on the health of Scotland’s 660,000 unpaid Carers. Those Carers providing high levels of care are a third more likely to suffer ill-health as non-carers. Nearly 60,000 Carers in Scotland say they are in poor health.
Hearts & Minds: the health effects of caring (2004)
New research shows that unpaid carers experience health inequalities compared with the general population. This summary report gives details of the findings and recommends a more throughgoing approach to tackling carers' needs by those responsible for improving the nation's health.
Young Carers in the UK (2004)
New research shows that more than a quarter of young carers of secondary school age are having problems in school.
Participation for Change: Carer Involvement in the Community Care & Health (Scotland) Act 2002 (2004)
A collaborative research report was commissioned by Carers Scotland, undertaken by the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships and funded by the Scottish Executive. The research explores the role that Carers Scotland and individual carers played in influencing the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002. The findings from the research are extremely positive and the information gathered will provide Scottish policy makers and other organisations with information on practical strategies for involving people in making policy.
Participation for change: Involving Carers in the Development of Policy (2004)
A practical guide produced as part of the Participation for Change resarch project. Contains examples from the experience of carers in Scotland.
Without Us: Calculating the Value of Carers' Support (2002)
Carers save the UK billions of pounds a year. This report places a monetary value on the support that carers provide, broken down for each local authority in Scotland, England and Wales and Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland.
Missed Opportunities: The Impact of New Rights for Carers (2003)
Carers have had a legal right to an assessment since 1996. This report looks at the impact of legislation on carers' lives and what needs to change.
Young Carers and Education (2003)
This report by Loughborough University draws on existing research on the subject of children under 16 with caring responsibilities. The report concludes that taking on the caring role can be a major barrier to a children's education.
Redressing the Balance: Inclusion, Competitiveness and Choice (2001) by Marilyn Howard
This report looks at the current body of evidence on carers and work, examines the barriers to employment for carers and suggests ways in which bridges could be built to help carers back towards paid work.
Adding Value: Carers as Drivers of Social Change (2002)
This report is the first to examine the role of carers as drivers of change. It reveals the extent to which carers become involved with local health and social care organisations and their contribution to support disabled people and other carers through the voluntary sector.
It Could Be You: A Report on the Chances of Becoming a Carer (2001) by Mike George
What are the chances of becoming a carer? What factors influence the likelihood of caring? What impact does caring have on people's lives? What are the projections for the number of carers in the future? This report will give you the answer.
You Can Take Him Home Now: Carers' Experiences of Hospital Discharge (2001)
Government policy states that carers should be involved in hospital discharge arrangements. But is it working in practice? This report examines carers' experiences of hospital discharge and whether they have changed since 1998.
Page Last Modified: 16/12/2008
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