The State of Caring survey is the UK’s most comprehensive regular research into the lives and experiences of unpaid carers. It is used as a vital source of evidence not only by Carers UK, but by many other organisations including Government, local authorities, health and social care services, charities and carers groups.

Carers UK is a membership organisation, and we cannot campaign for change without your help. With new proposals and policy changes being announced by the UK Government, it is more important than ever that you have your say.

Last year we were able to use carers’ responses to the survey to:

• successfully campaign for an increase to the earnings limit on Carer’s Allowance
   
• respond to the independent review of Carer’s Allowance overpayments, ensuring carers’ voices were heard
   
• campaign for measures to be introduced in the Employment Rights Bill, to enable more carers to combine caring with paid employment, if they wish to do so
   
• publish a new report about financial support for older carers, calling for changes to older carers’ benefits
   
• respond to the consultation on the NHS 10 Year Plan, making the case for more support for carers within the NHS
   
• respond to the Select Committee report on the cost of inaction on social care, making the case for the importance of investment in social care services

In addition, the results from last year have been discussed on national TV shows, as well as local BBC radio, and in many national and local newspapers, raising the profile of unpaid caring across the UK, with carers’ voices at the heart of this coverage.

As caring can have an impact across so many different areas, we have asked several questions in this survey. It may therefore take around 30 minutes to complete. You can skip some questions if you have limited time. If you don't get to the end of the survey, your responses will be saved and sent to us, even if you don’t finish. However, please continue with the questions as far as possible. This allows us to advocate better for carers.

We know carers are busy and very much appreciate everyone who takes the time to complete the survey. We read every single response. The State of Caring 2025 survey will close on 10 August and we will be sharing the results later in the year.