There are 2.7 million people in Australia caring for someone. This can vary from providing informal care to older people or those with a disability or long term health conditions.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics report found there were more females, 56 per cent, than males, 44 per cent, taking on caring duties with one in five carers aged between 55 and 64 years. And 40 per cent reported that they spent 40 hours or more each week providing care.
While the number of Australians with disability is steady at 18.5 per cent, the rate of disability increases with age: nine in 10 people aged over 90 having a disability compared to one in 20 children under the age of five. Work remains an issue with no improvement in labour force participation rates by people with disability since the last survey in 2009.