Survey highlights care pressures on over 45s

The care burden for older workers is likely to lead a fifth to leave work in order to care for adult family members, according to a survey by Aviva.

Women in particular (20%) are more likely to see their careers cut short by the need to care for a relative or a partner, but men are not far behind (17%), according to the survey. Many face pressure to look after both elderly relatives and children.

But just 6% of employers view caring pressures as a significant issue faced by their employees, highlighting a disconnect between employee and employer, says Aviva.

The costs of caring for relatives

Lindsey Rix, Managing Director at Aviva, said: “The practical, financial and emotional costs of caring for relatives both young and old are forcing many people in mid-life to make increasingly difficult decisions about balancing their commitments. Mid-life is the fastest growing age demographic in the UK workforce, so we can expect these pressures to grow.

“We have introduced Mid-Life MOTs to provide our people aged 45-60 with targeted guidance on the management of their wealth, work and wellbeing; and we are piloting a partnership with “Super Carers” to help our people navigate the care landscape.

“As the UK population ages, the number of carers at work can be expected to grow. It is concerning to see that only a small percentage of employers are prioritising the issue of care. The need to care for carers must rise up our list of priorities.”

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