Sandwich Carers Are Left £1,546 Out of Pocket This Summer as the Cost of Care Rises

Sandwich carers (people who find themselves looking after older adults, such as their parents, along with their children) are predicted to be left out of pocket by an average of £257 a week, and a total of £1,546 over the six weeks of summer holidays, according to our new research. This is due to the rising costs of providing care, even with the additional benefit of receiving Carer’s Allowance.

These out-of-pocket costs include expenses like household bills, childcare or summer camp costs (which can total £1,257 per child), and any equipment or external support when caring for a loved one.

The research highlights the everyday struggles experienced by sandwich carers, who provide vital care to their elderly loved ones and children, alongside employment and other life commitments - which are heightened during the summer months.

Carers are Turning To The Internet For Support

Many informal carers struggle more than ever to balance caring for two generations while juggling other commitments, such as work during the summer months. In the last three months, there’s been a surge in carers turning online for support:

• 200% increase in online searches for 'respite care for family caregivers'
• 100% increase in online searches for 'taking care of elderly parents'
• 100% increase in online searches for 'respite care near me'

As a result, the demand for respite care (through care homes and home care) through our marketplace has surged by 180% in the run-up to the summer holidays* as sandwich carers look for short-term support.

Many Sandwich Carers Are Facing a Financial and Wellbeing Crisis This Summer

It's estimated that 1.3 million people in the UK are sandwich carers, equivalent to 4% of the workforce*. So, it's no surprise that this has led to a surge in demand for respite care, particularly ahead of school holidays.

Our research has revealed that one-third of respite enquiries are for dementia care, reflecting the complex needs of elderly loved ones.

With sandwich carers being out of pocked by an average of £1,546 during the summer months and an 8% increase in elderly care costs over the last year, the financial and caregiving burdens placed on carers puts them at higher risk of mental health issues such as burnout, stress, and anxiety.

The Carer’s Leave Act came into effect in April, which provides a week of unpaid leave for caregiving. While this is a step toward supporting informal carers in the workplace, business leaders need to take a more proactive approach. They can offer enhanced support for carers in the workplace by creating clear carer policies and encouraging carers to find a support network through sharing practical advice.

Most recently, more businesses have become increasingly aware of the value of elder care benefits. Eldercare solutions for businesses can support employees with caregiving responsibilities by offering a concierge service that matches an employee's loved one with the proper care – whether that's in a care home or through home care.

Meet Lydia - A Sandwich Carer Balancing Caring For Multiple Generations During the Summer Months

Lydia is a mother of two young children and became a caregiver for her step-grandfather who is living with dementia. She’s shared the financial struggles sandwich carers face over the summer holidays when balancing childcare and eldercare:

"We have to plan very carefully during the summer holidays. There are a lot of spreadsheets involved, and literally every penny in this period is accounted for. The job of looking after my grandfather clearly pays no attention to whether there are school holidays or not.

My self-employed husband effectively downs tools for the whole six weeks and takes full responsibility for the childcare. We're very lucky that his work is flexible enough for him to do this, but it's not without its stresses."

As well as balancing the financial pressures of informal caregiving, Lydia has shared the guilt she experiences over the summer holidays:

During the six weeks of summer holidays, I find it very stressful, and I find myself feeling very guilty. I feel guilty that my husband has to keep the kids entertained all summer, and I feel guilty that I miss out on what they do because I'm still at work.

Then, when we do go away, I feel guilty if something happens to my grandfather, and I won't be on hand to sort it out. I don't have any strategies for coping - just throwing myself a quiet little pity party occasionally!

I always get nervous about worrying about what I'd do if something serious were to happen to him while I'm away, as I'm the only immediate family member living close to him. Everyone else lives abroad, so I'm the only one who can get there in an emergency.

Although we're fortunate that my husband can do all the childcare and we don't have to pay for holiday clubs, childminders, and so on, it also means we're down to just my income for six weeks. It's the same with any school holiday. Still, a 2-week period of a single income (e.g. over Easter) is a lot easier to manage than a 6-week one (especially when that period has all kinds of additional costs like our annual holiday, days out, more petrol, more meals at home etc).

When it comes to looking after my grandfather, I am extremely lucky to have the support of his daughter, my aunt. The only issue is that she lives in Spain, so she can't be on hand for emergencies, whereas I live only 1 hour away.

We've sorted out quite a good system between us. Because she's semi-retired, we've set up ring cameras in my grandad's house. She actively monitors those (so she'll check to see if he's up and about and who is coming to the door) because I couldn't keep up with the notifications while at work.

I have lasting power of attorney and deal with more administrative and logistical tasks. For example, I order his shopping online every week, liaise with and pay for his caregivers, arrange his doctor's appointments, look after his bills, etc. And, as I'm the only family member who lives anywhere nearby, I pay him regular visits, too.

Additional Support For Sandwich Carers

Sandwich carers and unpaid carers can find support in a range of places, including:

• Carers UK
• Carers First
• Age UK carer’s support
• Grants and discounts through Carer’s Trust
• Help and support through Citizens Advice

Data Sources and Methodology

Data Sources

• Internal analysis from Google Keyword Planner over the last three months – complete data set is available on request

• Action for Carers: Sandwich Carers

Methodology

We sought to determine the cost of being an informal carer in the UK during the summer holidays. We gathered data to estimate the cost, using figures taken from the sources below to work out an average:

• Numbeo: Average cost of living (excluding rent) in the UK
• Numbeo: Average cost of rent, single person, outside city centre (UK average)
• Numbeo: Average net salary (after tax - UK average)
• GOV UK: Carer's Allowance (4-weekly amount)
• Lottie.org: Average cost of respite care

We used the above data to calculate the cost of being a carer by working out an average of the cost of living over the 6-week summer holidays when providing informal care (and claiming Carer's Allowance) and without caregiving responsibilities.

Lottie matches care seekers with the best care homes and home care for their needs. You can request a free list of homes or home care agencies from our care experts, who will share relevant care options that match your budget, location and type of care needed.