Carers Leeds Annual Survey 2025/2026 findings

Today, we are releasing The State of Unpaid Caring in Leeds, based on our 2025/2026 annual survey of unpaid adult and parent carers across the city.

A total of 492 unpaid carers took part in the survey, sharing their key concerns, personal experiences, and what matters most to them. Respondents included carers of different ages, genders, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and those with disabilities.

What the report tells us

Through this report, we tell the real story of what it means to provide unpaid care in Leeds. Too many unpaid carers in our city feel invisible and undervalued. Too many are at breaking point, caring at a cost to their own health and wellbeing, social connections and financial security.

Many of the findings from this year’s survey mirror what we have heard in previous years. In comparison to last year’s findings, carers’ health and wellbeing has declined, with mental health and wellbeing being particularly impacted. There are some key differences in this year’s report – for the first time in four years, worries about money and the cost of living did not rank in the top three concerns for carers, replaced instead by anxieties over the lack of public services available.

Carers are feeling increasingly unsupported—both in their caring roles and in their personal relationships, which are crucial for wellbeing. Over half of survey takers said they were unable to care for their own mental and physical health. They are increasingly aware of the strain on health and care services and many report having little support from friends, family and/or health care services. The survey again highlights persistent challenges unpaid carers face—issues that demand sustained focus and collective action across the city.

At Carers Leeds, we believe unpaid caring should be everyone’s business, as most of us will care for a family member or friend at some point in our lives. Unpaid carers make a vital contribution to our city and urgent, united action is needed to better support them.

Key Stats

The top 3 concerns for unpaid carers:

• My own health and wellbeing (68%)
• The changing needs of the person I care for (48%)
• Services not being able to meet my needs/the needs of the person I care for (34%)

• 69% of unpaid carers reported that caring had a negative impact on their physical health, 80% reported it had a negative impact on their mental health.
•  44% of unpaid carers reported they were often or always feeling lonely
• 51% of respondents thought better recognition from local services of their needs as a carer would help them to feel more supported.
• 46% of unpaid carers said they had given up opportunities at work because of caring.

Recommendations

These four recommendations are based on the findings of the survey: 

• City wide conversation about caring – We need a city-wide conversation about caring – involving citizens and Leeds institutions and organisations – to shine a spotlight on unpaid carers, what it means to provide unpaid care in Leeds and how we can work together to improve the lives of carers in our city.

• Improved carer mental health – Urgent action is needed to improve the mental health of unpaid carers in Leeds. Ensure that carers are a priority in mental health strategies, transformation projects and initiatives across the city, and that this leads to improvements to carer mental health and a reduction in carer health inequalities.

• Deliver better outcomes for carers, within health and care services – Ensure carers receive health and care services that are well communicated, compassionate and coordinated. Improve the number, quality and outcomes of Carers Assessments, and place carers at the centre of transformation projects, particularly neighbourhood health services.

• Ensure financial well being for carers – As a city, we need to shine a light on the financial hardship experienced by unpaid carers alongside the people they support. Ensure that carers are a priority group for financial guidance (welfare benefits advice and wider support to reduce costs and maximise income) and tailored employment support. Work with Carers Leeds to increase the number of ‘carer friendly’ employers across our city

This year’s State of Unpaid Caring in Leeds report presents yet more evidence that providing intense levels of care, over time, with no or limited support is damaging the health and wellbeing of carers in our city. Carer mental health is at an all-time low. Carers are all too aware of this, yet they continue to care. Too many are caring alone, meaning that they don’t take breaks and have little meaningful connection with friends and family or a social life. Too many are worried about money or fearful of talking to their employer about their caring situation.

This is not an inevitable, and we understand the things that can help. We know that carers who have support from friends and family, their communities, health and care services or their employer report benefits to their health and wellbeing, financial security and social connections. Organisations like Carers Leeds, can play a key role in supporting carers to continue to care in a way that is not detrimental to them. To care is to be human and it is something that most of us will do at some point in our life. This report is a call to action for everyone in our city, to do more to help identify and support carers.

Claire Turner, Chief Executive of Carers Leeds