This is a 12% increase since Carers UK and YouGov polled the public in 2013.

The findings also show that more people are caring than previously thought, with almost 5 million workers now juggling their paid job with caring – a dramatic rise compared with Census 2011 figures of 3 million.

The research emphasises the need for UK employers to support the rapidly increasing number of staff with caring responsibilities to stay in the workforce.