Many young carers may be missing out on schoolwork, friends and hobbies as they look after loved ones, Opinium study shows

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A survey of 350 young carers aged 8-17 from across the UK, carried out by Opinium Research for Carers Trust, has revealed that as many as three in five (59%) young carers spend at least three hours a day caring, limiting time for homework, seeing friends or hobbies. 
 
The Opinium poll showed 44% of young carers spend 3-4 hours a day on their caring role. Among 8-11 year olds, almost half (46%) spend 3-4 hours a day caring.

There are approximately one million young carers in the UK. This could mean that hundreds of thousands of children are having to spend 21-28 hours every week on their caring responsibilities. 

The consequences for young carers are serious. The survey also found around half of young carers spend less than an hour each day to: do their homework (57%); see friends (49%); and to take part in hobbies and other activities (50%). 

The results have been released by national charity Carers Trust in the first week of October, one month into the start of term in England. The timing is deliberate. Government research shows that, on average, young carers miss one month of school per year, compared to 13 days for a child without a caring responsibility.

If all the time young carers miss at school was front-loaded, they would only now be starting the academic year - one month behind their peers.  

The survey also revealed the impact of caring on respondents’ physical and mental health:

• Nearly a third (29%) of young carers told the survey they were stressed or worried by their caring role - rising to 32% among those aged just 8-11
• A third (36%) of young carers told the survey that caring had left them feeling tired or worn out at school
• 29% say their role has meant they didn’t get enough sleep. 

Isla, 17, from Hampshire, cares for her younger sibling who has Pathological Demand Avoidance, which is a profile of autism.

She said: “As a young carer, our lives often don’t feel like ours. From a young age, we grow into very caring people who put the needs of others before our own.

"It is very difficult to focus on ourselves without feeling selfish or like we are neglecting the person we care for. It is also hard to focus on our own lives in a practical sense. 
 
“I have experienced very disturbed sleep when my sibling was struggling at night and have found education difficult, often I feel very tired while studying. I am also always worrying about whether my sibling is okay, making it hard to concentrate.

"Education is of course important but so is living our lives. I have missed attending youth club due to my caring role and it is often much harder to see friends.” 
 
There are around one million young carers in the UK, all doing their best to look after relatives or friends with disabilities, illnesses or addiction. The lack of support for those caring, results in high levels of responsibilities which are taking a huge toll on their own health, wellbeing and future prospects.  

Figures show more than 50,000 children and young adults are caring for at least 50 hours a week. That includes 3,000 aged from just five to nine. Yet, all too often, they are not identified as a carer for many years, if at all.

To help address the persistent pressures on children and young people of their caring roles Carers Trust is calling for a Young Carer Lead in every school, college and university.   

Carers Trust’s CEO, Kirsty McHugh, said: 

“These alarming findings show what many young carers understand all too well – that lack of support cuts off opportunities that other kids take for granted.

"Every aspect of your life can be affected, from how you do in school to whether you can see your friends. This can affect children as young as five and the impact extends all the way into adulthood. 

“It’s high time the Government ensured every school and college had a Young Carer Lead trained to identify and support young carers. Given what these young people do for society, that’s the least we can do for them.” 

The survey findings results have been released as part of Carers Trust’s ‘Being There Matters’ campaign aiming to raise awareness of the alarming range of life experiences and everyday things many young carers miss out on because of their extra responsibilities – from making friends, to the essential lessons at school. 

To help improve outcomes for young carers and young adult carers across the UK, Carers Trust is holding its annual Young Carers Futures Conference 2025 on October 23rd.

The conference will bring together young carers with practitioners and educational professionals from across the UK to help shape the future of carers.  One of the key speakers is Sir Martyn Oliver, Ofsted's Chief Inspector.