Roughly 6% of the UK population provide informal unpaid care, and 60% of people in the UK will be carers at some point in their lives. This includes a number of people who are carers while studying at university.
Informal carers are those who have a commitment to providing unpaid support to someone who could not manage without their care. This could include preparing meals, personal care, giving medicine, helping with finances, and physical help. The exact number of student carers in higher education is unknown. Many choose not to disclose their caring responsibilities. Also, many universities do not have clear processes for identifying student carers. This is further complicated by the fact that caring status can change throughout a studentâs studies.
