New Statistics Reveal a Rise in Depression Amongst Informal Carers in the UK

LONDON - Startling New Research Reveals the Mental Torment of the Nation’s Informal Carers - New Research Reveals the True Picture of Depression Amongst Informal Carers in the UK, With Over 54% of women classified as Informal Carers in the UK, Being Depressed - Informal Carers Have Double the Likelihood Of Moderate Depression (or More) Than the General Population (32% versus 16%) - The Research Also Reveals That Informal Carers Have Three Times the Likelihood of Moderately Severe Depression (or More) Than the General Population (16% Versus 5 %)

According to new research out this week informal Carers in the UK are some of the most depressed in Europe.

Over 300 informal carers took part in interviews, undertaken by research company HPI for co-operative Xest, an informal carer is defined as; ‘Any person who provides a substantial amount of care on a regular basis for another individual aged 18 or over who has a long term disability or health condition, mental health problem, is frail due to old age, or unable to cope for other reasons, and is not in formal or paid employment for that role’

With an ageing population and more and more people being forced into the role of informal carer, we as a nation are becoming more and more depressed by the role.

Denise Robertson who is the spokesperson for the campaign comments ‘I am concerned at these levels of depression amongst informal Carers in the UK. It is clear from the survey findings carried out on behalf of co-operative Xest that they need more support. I am proud to be associated with this ground breaking research and I applaud co-operative Xest for understanding the importance of these unsung heroes’

On behalf of co-operative Xest, HPI surveyed 300 informal carers using an online survey between 2nd - 5th June.

For more information, please contact: Louise Rowlands/Rosanna Head more2 PR louise@more2.com / rosanna@more2.com +44-207-420-5050/ +44-207-420-5091

Source: co-operative Xest

For more information, please contact: Louise Rowlands/Rosanna Head more2 PR, louise at more2.com / rosanna at more2.com, +44-207-420-5050/ +44-207-420-5091