22 October 2025
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), on 21 October, responded to the new Carers UK report, ‘State of Caring 2025: The cost of caring – the impact of caring across carers’ lives.’
The report lays bare the profound and multifaceted costs that are borne by the UK’s 5.8 million unpaid carers. It provides a detailed analysis of how financial pressures, inadequate support and increasing caring responsibilities are affecting unpaid carers’ lives.
The findings from Carers UK echo what we continue to hear across the sector—unpaid carers are the backbone of our health and care system, yet too many are reaching breaking point. The cost of caring is more than just financial; it is emotional, social and physical. As caring responsibilities intensify, too many people are being forced to choose between their own wellbeing, work and the people they love. This is not sustainable—for carers or for the system that depends on them.
As government action moves forward supporting the adult social care workforce through the Fair Pay Agreement, there is a pressing need for equal attention to unpaid carers. Carers should not be an afterthought in policy or practice—they should be at the centre of a reformed and fair care system.
Kathryn Marsden OBE
Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
About SCIE
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) improves the lives of people of all ages by co-producing, sharing, and supporting the use of the best available knowledge and evidence about what works in practice. We are a leading independent social care charity working with organisations that support adults, families and children across the UK.
If you have any questions regarding this submission, please do not hesitate to contact Molly Pennington, Press and Media Relations Officer, at molly.pennington@scie.org.uk