New report shows a 52 per cent increase in value of unpaid care – more than the total annual spend on NHS

The value of unpaid support that carers provide has now reached £87 billion a year according to a new report by Carers UK – more than the annual total spend on the NHS, which stood at £82 billion in the year 2006-7.

The new figures, calculated by the University of Leeds for Carers UK – the leading charity for people caring for their sick, disabled or frail relatives and partners, are 52 per cent higher than previous estimates of how much carers save the UK - £57 billion in 2002 - and the average carer is saving the nation over £15,260 a year.