Social Security Experience Panels - panel members: full report - 2020 update

Caring responsibilities

New panel members

We asked new panel members about their caring responsibilities. 319 people responded in this question.^[20]

61 per cent of respondents said that they look after or give regular support to someone who has either a long term physical condition, mental ill-health, disabilty, or problems relating to old age. 38 per cent of respondents said that they do not have any caring responsibilities. Of the remaining respondents, 2 per cent preferred not to say.

Of those who had caring responsibilities, 29 per cent said that they cared for a child or children with a long-term physical condition, mental ill-health, or a disability. 69 per cent cared for an adult or adults with a long-term physical condition, mental ill-health, or a disability. 24 per cent said that they cared for an adult or adults who need support due to old age.

All panel members

Across a number of different ‘About You’ surveys we have asked Experience Panel members about their caring responsiblities.^[21] The information presented in this section reflects the combined data available for the 1,539 panel members who responded across the surveys.

52 per cent of respondents said that they have caring responsibilities and 46 per cent said they do not. Two per cent of respondents stated that they prefered not to say.

Of those who had caring responsibilities 25 per cent said that they cared for a child or children with a long-term physical condition, mental ill-health, or a disability. 74 per cent cared for an adult or adults with a long-term physical condition, mental ill-health, or a disability, and 31 per cent cared for an adult or adults who need support due to old age.

Compared to available responses from the 2018 findings, panel membership by different caring responbilities has stayed proportionately similar.