According to Office for National Statistics figures, almost one-sixth of’sandwich caregivers’ have financial difficulties and many are on low salaries.
Sandwich carers include people who care for their dependent children and also sick, disabled, or older adults relatives.
ONS reported that those who cared for more than 20 hours per week were most likely to struggle with money. A quarter of these carers said it was difficult to make ends meet, and 17% reported that they ran out of food within the past year due to lack of funds.
According to the ONS, around half of sandwich carers (53%) reported they could not work as much or at all as they wanted because they had to care for someone who lives with them.
The percentage of caregivers who spend 20 hours or more a week caring for their children increased to 74%.
Four out of ten adults had a gross annual household income below PS20,000, while 32% did. According to the ONS, those who provide more hours of care have lower incomes. Sandwich carers are also more likely than other adults to indicate that they work at home or provide family care (13% as opposed to 3%).
The ONS also found that caring for two families took a toll on mental health. Three in 10 adults showed signs of anxiety or depression, compared to 24% of the total adult population.
Nearly a fifth (19%) said that they had been diagnosed with depression. This compares to 13% of adults.
In the UK, there are estimated to be 1.4 million sandwich caregivers aged 16-64 between 2021-2023. The majority of these women (61%), according to the ONS.
About half of the sandwich caregivers (51%) were between 45 and 64 years old, as opposed to 40% of parents that do not provide unpaid care for another adult.
The majority of respondents (71%) provide care less than 20 hours a week, but a significant portion (26%) go over this amount. Most respondents provide care in their home for their dependents, but a small percentage (6%) also provides care in another location.
The government raised the earning threshold for Carer’s allowance in last week’s Budget. This will allow more people to combine caring for their loved ones with working.
Mary Bright, head of social sustainability for Phoenix Group, said that this was a step in the right direction, as it “allows carers to earn a bit more and still receive financial support”.
She said: “As the population ages, an increasing number of people over 40 are caring for loved ones from multiple generations.”
This puts them at risk of losing their paid jobs and becoming financially vulnerable later in life.
She cited Phoenix research that showed 45% of unpaid caregivers over 55 struggled to cover their daily living expenses. She urged employers to provide more flexibility, including paid carer’s leaves, to older workers.
She added: “We urge employers who can offer flexible policies, 10 days of paid leave for carers, to retain their skills and experience, and to allow more carers the opportunity to remain in paid employment and to build their retirement savings.”
In an analysis released earlier this year by the GMB union , it was found that on average, care workers had lost 3,700 PS in wages last year.
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