Do carer tasks predict carer employment? Evidence from the Survey of Adult Carers in England

Abstract

Due to the large number of unpaid carers in England, there is an extensive body of research which examines the determinants of carers' employment. Despite this, little is known about the relationship between the specific tasks that carers perform and their labour supply. Using data from the Survey of Adult Carers in England, we examine the relationship between carer tasks and carer employment outcomes. We find that carers who perform tasks that are time‐bound have a lower probability of working compared to carers who do not perform these tasks. Similarly, carers who perform shiftable tasks have a higher probability of working compared to carers who do not perform these tasks. If future social policy is to be designed to allow carers to also maintain their employment, then targeting services at the carer tasks which have the largest impact on employment needs to be taken into account.