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Valuing Carers 2021: Northern Ireland

A research report by Centre for Care colleagues Jingwen Zhang, Maria Petrillo and Matt Bennett in collaboration with Carers NI, using Census data to estimate the value of unpiad care in Northern Ireland.

Publication details This research research, undertaken by Centre for Care colleagues Jingwen Zhang, Maria Petrillo and Matt Bennett in collaboration with Carers NI, shows unpaid carers are saving Northern Ireland’s health service £5.8 billion per year

In a report published for Carers Rights Day 2023, we have collaborated with Carers NI to estimate the value of the contributions of unpaid carers.

We find;

  • People providing unpaid care for sick or disabled family members and friends are saving Northern Ireland’s health service £5.8 billion in care costs each year.
  • The care they are providing for their loved ones would cost Health Trusts a combined £16 million every day, or more than half a million pounds (£0.7 million) each hour, if it was being delivered by staff – an increase of over 40% in the last decade.
  • In total, unpaid carers in Northern Ireland are saving the equivalent of 80% of the Department of Health’s entire day-to-day spending budget for 2023-24.

To cite: Zhang, J., Petrillo, M. and Bennett, M.R. (2023) Valuing Carers 2021: Northern Ireland. Belfast: Carers Northern Ireland