10% of women in a part of north London do not have paid care

In Enfield and Harrow, 9.7% of women were in unpaid care duties, compared to less than 8% of their male counterparts.

For women aged 55 to 59, the figure was even higher. Almost one in five women in Barnet are carers, compared to 12.4% of men in the town.

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The Enfield Independent recently reported the story by Elizabeth Woolleyunpaid care of her husband Lee, who was having trouble getting him to hospital appointments.

This trend, with a higher proportion of women providing unpaid care than men, has spread across north London.

Harrow recorded the highest number of unpaid carers in north London, with 8.6% of the population.

But north London has seen a marked drop in the number of unpaid carers since the last census in 2011.

In Barnet, for example, 10.8% of the population said they were unpaid carers a decade ago, up from 8.4% at the last census.

Kirsty McHugh, chief executive of the Carers Trust, believes restrictions imposed during the pandemic are likely to have been the cause of this fall.

She said: “We believe the true number of unpaid carers is much higher than the census suggests.

“The fact that this happened in the midst of a pandemic, when many people were unable to visit those they cared for … means that many people may not have identified themselves as unpaid carers.”

In north London, older people are also more likely to have to care for their loved ones.

In Enfield, 5.4% of people aged 75 to 79 spent more than 50 hours a week working as an unpaid carer.

Age UK said many older people have to shoulder this burden due to a lack of “good, formal and affordable care”.

The charity’s director, Caroline Abrahams, said: “Many admit to being exhausted and worried about how long they can go on and the consequences if they become seriously ill themselves.

“Too often they have to take on enormous responsibility and hard work without any prospect of a real break.”

The number of unpaid carers in north London was as follows:

• Barnet – 28,810 (8.4%)
• Brent – 22,840 (7.7%)
• Camden – 14,610 (7.9%)
• Enfield – 24,605 ​​(8.5%)
• Hackney – 16,330 (7.6%)
• Haringey – 16,890 (7.2%)
• Baron – 20,040 (8.6%)
• Islington – 14,835 (8.1%)

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