§ Mr. O'HaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the proportion and number of(a) full-time and (b) part-time carers who 130W are aged (i) 24 years and under, (ii) 25 to 44 years, (iii) 45 years to the state pension age and (iv) over the state pension age. [24863]
§ Mr. BoatengI have been asked to reply.
We collect information on informal carers via questions in the General Household Survey. The latest set of available data relates to the period from April 1990 to March 1991. The age group of the carer and the amount of time spent caring was collected but not information on whether the carer was full or part time. The table shows, for Great Britain 1990, the percentage and estimated number of carers in each age group caring for less than 20 hours a week and those caring for 20 hours or more per week.
Carers by age group and hours spent caring, Great Britain, 1990 Carers caring for less than 20 hours per week Carers caring for 20 hours or more per week Age group Percentage Number (millions) Percentage Number (millions) 16–24 8 0.4 6 0.1 35–44 35 1.8 22 0.3 45-state pension age 40 2.1 40 0.6 Over state pension age 18 1.0 32 0.5 All ages (16 and over) 100 5.3 100 1.6 Source:
General Household Survey 1990; population estimates. Figures are rounded.
§ Mr. O'HaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the proportion and number of the population of working age who are(a) full-time carers and (b) part-time carers. [24846]
§ Mr. BoatengI have been asked to reply.
We collect information on informal carers via questions in the General Household Survey. Based on the latest set of available data, which relates to the period April 1990 to March 1991, it is estimated that around 16 per cent. of the Great Britain population of working age were carers at that time—approximately 5.5 million people.
Information from the survey on the amount of time spent caring did not specify full time or part time. Estimates based on the survey show that around 1 million adults of working age in Great Britain were spending 20 hours or more each week on caring activities. This represents around one fifth of all adult carers of working age.