CPC researchers to beta test 2011 Census data on informal carers

CPC researchers have been successful in their application to take part in an Office for National Statistics (ONS) scheme to beta test 2011 Census data in the ONS Longitudinal Study.

The project, entitled 'Characteristics of, and living arrangements amongst, informal carers at the 2011 and 2001 Censuses: stability, change and transition', will examine the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of informal carers in the 2011 Census, with reference to their characteristics in the 2001 Census.

The project will be conducted by a joint team from CPC, the EPSRC Care Life Cycle Programme and the Centre for Research on Ageing at the University of Southampton and members of the demographic analysis unit within the Population Statistics Division of ONS.

Understanding the characteristics of informal carers in the UK is critical, as they continue to contribute to the supply of social care, and changes in the composition of the carers' population will have a direct impact on the future design of social care and the distribution of its financial cost. In addition, current demographic changes may affect both the supply of and demand for social care, for example improving life expectancy for men at older ages may increase the amount of spousal care provided by men, while population ageing is projected to place greater pressure on local governments to provide social care for older people.

The project is due to start in April 2013 and will consist of two Work Packages: (i) Comparison of the profile of informal carers from the 2011 Census to the 2001 Census; and (ii) The study of transitions in-and-out of informal care between 2001 and 2011.

Posted 14/02/2013 16:35