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Table 1 Sample characteristics, outcomes, and mean costs for young people aged 16–25 with and without caring responsibilities: all carers

From: The high cost of unpaid care by young people:health and economic impacts of providing unpaid care

CARER CHARACTERISTICS TIME 1

Aged 16–25, not providing unpaid care time 1 (N = 6342; 91.9%) %

Aged 16–25, providing unpaid care time 1 (N = 561; 8.1%) %

Female*

50.4

58.3

Ethnicity*

 White ethnicity

69.4

73.8

 Black, Asian and minority ethnic

30.6

26.3

Physical health score*

54.8

53.3

Mental health score*

48.2

46.7

Married, living with partner, in civil partnership*

13.2

16.5

Highest educational qualification*

 Degree or higher degree

33.1

25.2

 A-level

38.9

25.2

 GCSE

24.6

30.0

 None

3.5

4.1

Housing tenure*

 Owner-occupied

56.4

52.0

 Private-rented

22.3

14.9

 Social-rented

21.3

33.2

EMPLOYMENT AND HEALTH TIME 2

 Unemployed or long-term sick/disabled*

16.1

24.4

 Left employment*

4.6

9.9

 Physical health score*

54.6

53.2

 Mental health score*

47.6

45.3

COSTS TIME 2

Mean (£)

Mean (£)

Monthly net earnings from paid employment*

870

647

Annual tax revenue*

2096

1324

Monthly individual state welfare benefits*

81

150

Annual health service use*

310

686

  1. *p < .05
  2. Physical health score is Physical Component of the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (SF12 PCS); lower score = worse physical health. Mental health score is Mental Component of the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (SF12 MCS); lower score = worse mental health