The data from the 2021 census, published by the Office for National Statistics shows there has been a marked rise in the amount of young people and young adults providing more than 20 hours of unpaid care per week across England and Wales.
Despite most age groups showing an overall decrease in the number of unpaid carers, the 2021 census found that 71,120 young people aged 18 to 24 are providing between 20 to 49 hours of unpaid care per week, rising from 43,950 young people at the 2011 census.
Kirsty McHugh, chief executive of unpaid carers charity Carers Trust, said: “We’re concerned about the nearly 140,000 children and young people providing significant levels of care each week, a figure which is likely to be the tip of an iceberg.
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