Scotland's Carers, 2026: Main Report

2. Estimating the number of carers in Scotland

The data sources used in this report show differing trends in the number of carers in Scotland, and how this has changed over time. As noted in the introduction, we have selected the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) as our primary source for the purpose of this report. However, there are benefits to considering the census alongside the SHeS, so analysis of census data has been included for further context.

• The SHeS 2019-2023 estimates that 15% of adults aged 16+ in Scotland provide unpaid care, a decrease from 17% in 2012-2013.
• In contrast, Scotland’s Census 2022 reports that 13% of people aged 16+ provide unpaid care, an increase from 11% in 2011.

2.1 Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) 2019-2023

The Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) provides what we consider here to be the best estimate of the number of people caring in Scotland (see section 2.3 and Annex 1 for more detail). The SHeS asks whether, apart from anything done as part of paid employment, anyone aged 4+ in the household looks after or gives any regular help or support to family members, friends, neighbours or others because of either long-term physical or mental ill-health, disability, or problems related to old age.

The SHeS presents data broken down by different age-groups. Generally, it provides estimates for carers aged 4-15, and 16+. These are the groups that are typically reported on throughout this report.

• The SHeS reports that 3% of the child population provide care. Applying this to the National Records of Scotland 2023 mid-year estimates (MYEs, revised version released 15 August 2025), this equates to around 20,000 young carers (aged 4-15).

• For adults aged 16+, the SHeS shows that 15% of the adult population are carers, equating to an estimated 675,000 adult carers.

The SHeS estimates are based on a statistically drawn sample, with survey weights being applied to reflect the population age distribution across Scotland, and across Scottish areas. Taking into account the sample design and scaling to population estimates, 95% confidence limits around the estimated number of carers aged 16+ in Scotland are 641,000 to 710,000.

The SHeS appears to show that the proportion of the adult population that are carers has decreased over time, from 17% of adults aged 16+ providing care according to the SHeS 2012-2013. This is in contrast to the census, which suggests that the proportion of carers has increased over time. More detail can be found in sections 2.2 and 3.5 below.

2.2 Scotland's Census 2022

As in the SHeS, the census asked people if they look after, or give any help or support to family members, friends, neighbours or others, where this support was required because of long-term physical/mental ill-health/disability, or problems related to old age.

• Overall, the census shows that of people aged 3+, around 628,000 people provided unpaid care in Scotland, equating to 12% of the population aged 3+. This represents an increase of 28%, or 135,000 people, from 2011, where around 492,000 people reported being unpaid carers (9% of the population aged 3+).
• For adults aged 16+, Scotland’s Census 2022 shows that over 614,000 people said that they provided care, equating to 13% of the adult population. This is an increase of 132,000 people from the 482,000 carers aged 16+ identified in the 2011 census (11% of the population aged 16+).

The trend seen in the census data, where the proportion of the population providing care has increased between 2011 and 2022, is consistent with Health and Care Experience (HACE) survey analysis of changes in caring prevalence and intensity. This research saw a decrease in the proportion of people providing no care, from 86% in 2015/16 to 82% in 2021/22. However, the HACE is primarily designed as an experience survey, and estimating population-level prevalence of caring is not its intended purpose.

As such, this cannot be interpreted as definitive evidence that the trend seen in the census – that the proportion of people providing care has increased – is more accurate than that of the SHeS, which appeared to show that the proportion of carers had decreased over the same period.

2.3 Comparing findings from SHeS 2019-2023 and Scotland's Census 2022

It is useful to consider why these sources may vary, with the census reporting a lower number of carers than estimated by the SHeS. One reason that we get different answers from different sources is because often, as stated previously, people do not recognise themselves as a carer but simply as someone who is looking after their family and friends.

Scotland's Census 2022 and the SHeS 2019-2023 ask identical questions about whether people provide care, therefore it may be reasonable to expect similar results. However, the self-response census reports a smaller number of carers (614,000 carers aged 16+) compared to the interview-led SHeS estimated total (675,000 carers aged 16+, ±34,000).

There are a number of reasons that may result in the census reporting a lower number of carers than estimated in the SHeS:

• In the SHeS, each adult in the household is asked the carers' question individually. Therefore, each adult speaks directly to the interviewer and says whether they provide care and how many hours a week.
• In Scotland's Census 2022, it may be the case that one person will answer the questionnaire for the whole household. This person may not be aware of caring activity going on elsewhere in the household or may feel uncomfortable explaining that someone else in the household provides care for them.
• Because the SHeS is an interview survey, it allows the respondent to ask for clarification if they do not understand the question. There is not this opportunity with a self-response survey like the census.
• The SHeS question is part of a detailed health survey and follows a block of questions about long-term conditions, which means that people will probably be thinking more about health and care issues when they answer the question.
• The SHeS has an additional category asking if people provide care for up to 4 hours each week whereas the first category in Scotland's 2011 census is "up to 19 hours of care" a week. It may be that the considerable number of hours in the census category deters people who only provide a small number of hours of care from answering.

For all of these reasons, the SHeS is considered here to provide the best estimate of the overall number of carers in Scotland, and as such, has been selected as the principal source for this report. More information can be found in Annex 1. Throughout this publication, each section will primarily consider the SHeS data, with analysis of census data being included where possible to provide further context and accompany insights drawn from the SHeS. The sources being analysed will be highlighted in the text for clarity.