# Britain’s unpaid care squeeze

> More Britons are leaving work to care for loved ones, with heavy costs for families, employers and the economy.
- Title: Britain’s unpaid care squeeze · the Guardian | Shortify
- Summary: More Britons are leaving work to care for loved ones, with heavy costs for families, employers and the economy. Unpaid care is becoming a mass workforce…
- Keywords: carers, work, social care, family, news, world, Britain, unpaid, care, squeeze, the Guardian
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/society/2026/sep/16/britons-leaving-workplace-unpaid-carers
- Published: 2026-09-15T23:01:03+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: carers, work, social care, family, uk, news, world
## Workers are leaving
About 1,500 Britons a day are quitting their jobs to care for ageing, ill or disabled relatives as state-funded care becomes harder to access.
## Millions are affected
Carers UK estimates more than 1 million people have left work for unpaid care in two years. One in five employees now juggles a job with caring duties.

> widespread social and economic reality
## Care cuts careers
Many carers reduce hours, pass up promotions or take lower-paid roles. More than a third of those cutting hours work less than eight hours a week.
## Rights are too thin
Carers UK wants stronger job protections, including 10 days of paid carer’s leave each year and a care system built around people who also need to work.
## One career paused
Jacqui Hylton left a 30-year NHS midwifery career to care for her mother. She says her skills are going unused while her pension and future work options shrink.

> I don’t regret caring for my mum.
## The bill is huge
About 11 million UK adults report unpaid care duties. The rise in people leaving paid work to care is estimated to cost the UK £37bn a year.
## Key takeaway

Unpaid care is becoming a mass workforce issue, and carers need paid leave, respite and social care support to stay in work.