http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27770108
The state of the NHS and social care system is never far from the headlines.
There are 1.4m people working for the health service and a similar number staffing care homes and providing vital home help. But these figures are dwarfed by a hidden workforce - the UK's army of carers.
Some 6.5m people identified themselves as carers in the last Census - that's one in eight adults in the UK. Over the next 20 years that number is expected to grow to 9m.
Some of these people are just providing a few hours care a week for someone, but significant numbers are doing much more - and according to new research need greater help.
Over 40% report having to reduce the amount they work to care, while 1.4m provide over 50 hours of unpaid care a week. The "full-time carers" are the biggest growing group in the carers' army.
Of course, it is easy to assume this is a natural part of the life-cycle. As loved ones grow older and frailer many would say it is quite right that those close to them help.
Indeed, that is the approach many carers take themselves. I recently interviewed a woman called Wendy Prosser, who is in her 70s and cares for her husband who has been left with mobility issues following a brain tumour.
He needs round-the-clock help. But Ms Prosser refuses to feel sorry for herself.
She told me: "This is what I have got to do. The NHS saved Neil's life.
"It gave us eight years we would not have had otherwise so it is my responsibility to look after him. I'm never going to let or expect anyone to help us. That wouldn't be right."Statistics: Posted by Misspears — 12 Jun 2014, 16:20
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