Young carers are 38 per cent less likely to gain university degrees than those without caring responsibilities, new research shows.
A study, shared with Times Higher Education by UCL researchers, examined up to 10 years of data from more than 27,000 young adults in the UK aged between 16 and 29.
The results showed that young people who provide informal unpaid care to family members or others outside their households were on average 38 per cent less likely to obtain university degrees than others with no caring responsibilities.
The research team found that the more hours they spent caring, the less likely young people were to get degrees – with those who cared for 35 or more hours a week 86 per cent less likely to obtain qualifications.
