New research reveals hidden cost of losing a 'Sandwich Generation' carer

Millions of UK adults in the ‘Sandwich Generation’ — those caring for both children and ageing relatives — are providing an estimated £16,773 worth of unpaid care per person each year¹.

Our findings, based on analysis of ONS data, show the growing pressures faced by the Sandwich Generation (approximately aged 35-54), many of whom juggle full-time jobs alongside demanding caregiving responsibilities. 

The research exposes the emotional and financial toll of unpaid care, and offers new guidance on how life insurance can help soften the financial blow that families may face after an untimely loss.

Unpaid labour from sandwich carers aged 35–54 is now worth nearly £17,000 a year

Our analysis shows that the average Sandwich Generation carer aged 35–54 carried out more than 20 hours of unpaid work each week in 2024 - equivalent to £16,773.48 a year when adjusted for 2025 inflation. 

At this rate, families could face a shortfall of more than £160,700 over ten years if a carer passes away — and that figure only covers the value of their unpaid work, not additional costs like bills, mortgages or children’s savings.

ONS data shows that between 2021 and 2023 there were 1.4 million Sandwich Generation carers, representing around 2.07% of the UK population². Projected onto the UK’s estimated 2025 population of 69.55 million, MoneySuperMarket experts calculate this could now equate to around 1.44 million carers. Collectively, their unpaid work would be worth over £24 billion a year.

New calculator tools help sandwich carers understand their worth 

With ONS reporting that nearly half (45%) of sandwich carers saying they’re just getting by or struggling financially, increasing to 55% for in-house carers, life insurance could prove an essential safety net. 

To help families understand and calculate just how much unpaid work they might be doing, and the true financial value of their unpaid work, we've launched an Unpaid Work Calculator. 

The free online tool will allow people to enter the hours they spend on various tasks such as childcare, elderly care, cleaning, cooking, laundry and transport a week, and it will work out the equivalent weekly salary. Calculations will be based on the current 2025 inflation rate, helping parents assess whether their life insurance pay outs could replace it.

Experts urge sandwich workers to invest in life insurance

Kara Gammell
Personal Finance & Insurance Expert

Your contributions are worth more than your income

Most people think about insuring their mortgage if the worst happens, but very few consider the financial impact of losing the work they provide at home. Without that support, families can be left scrambling to cover the cost of childcare, transport, and elder care. With rising childcare costs and increasing life expectancy, there is more financial pressure on sandwich carers than ever. 

Our Unpaid Work Calculator can help families understand the true value of their care, by translating everyday unpaid tasks into a real financial figure. By using it, people can ensure their life insurance policy reflects their hidden contributions as well as their income. And while life insurance can’t replace a person, it can be a financial lifeline for loved ones and offer vital protection.

Our data suggests that the average cost of a life insurance policy with a payout between £100,000 and £149,999 is only £22 a month³, but our Life Insurance Index finds that only a fifth of UK adults (20%) have life insurance, and

While that may still be a stretch for many families, especially unpaid carers, it remains one of the more stable and accessible forms of financial security.

<sup>Sources
1. The calculation of unpaid work is based on two categories: unpaid childcare and unpaid household work (including unpaid adult care and volunteering).
2. Office of National Statistics
3. Based on life insurance policies sold through MoneySuperMarket between 01/01/2025 and 25/08/2025 covering a single person with a chosen benefit amount between £100,000 and £149,999</sup>

^{Methodology
The cost of sandwich carers’ unpaid labour was taken from the ONS ‘Online Time Use Survey’. ‘Worksheet 7: Average daily time (minutes) spent doing specified activities’ was analysed, combining data for ‘unpaid childcare’ and ‘unpaid household work (including unpaid adult care and volunteering)’ to understand the time spent doing sandwich work. These hours were then put into the ONS unpaid work calculator, under ‘childcare’ and ‘adult care’ to understand cost per year. This number was then adjusted for 2025 inflation as per the Bank of England calculator (compared to 2019 when the calculator was created).} 

^{Projected 2025 data formula
The proportion of sandwich carers (2.07%) was calculated using ONS population data for 2021–2023 and the Understanding Society study’s estimate of 1.4 million carers aged 16–64. This percentage was then applied to the 2025 UK population estimate of 69,551,332 to project the number of sandwich carers for 2025.}