Massive Population
There are an estimated 10.6 million unpaid carers in the UK, with the highest concentrations residing in the North of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
What is No Choice Caring?
Severe Financial Strain
About 1.2 million unpaid carers live in poverty, with nearly half reporting they have had to cut back on basic essentials like food, heating, or transport costs.
High-Intensity Demands
While many provide light assistance, nearly a third of unpaid caregivers provide intensive care—often 35 to 50 or more hours a week.
Workplace & Career Impacts
Caregiving significantly impacts employment. Approximately 4 in 10 working-age carers have had to reduce their hours, pass up on promotions, or quit their jobs entirely to accommodate their duties.
The Physical Toll
Because they lack formal training, 42% of unpaid carers report a decline in their physical health, and 20% have experienced an injury (like a muscle strain from lifting) while caring for their loved ones.
Widespread Social Isolation
The 24/7 nature of caregiving creates immense social isolation. Many unpaid carers suffer from burnout, sleep disruption, and high levels of depression and anxiety.
Lack of Awareness
Many unpaid carers are "hidden," not receiving official state support. Studies show a poor understanding of available social care options, leaving families struggling unnecessarily without respite.
State Support Hurdles
While financial help like Carer's Allowance is theoretically available, eligibility requires providing 35+ hours of care weekly and strict earnings limits, which often fails to capture the realities of family poverty.
Dr Maurice Duffy
- Irish father of 4
- Coach to Olympic gold medalist Peter Vidmar
- Coach to the Australian cricket team & captain Steve Smith
- Coached 25 global CEOs & 750+ business leaders around the world
- Coached NHS leaders and worked with Google leaders
- Political advisor & coach in the UK, Mongolia and South Africa
Karen Lee-Duffy
- Lived and worked in 10 countries
- Travelled the world for a number of years
- University graduate
- Legal qualification and trained barrister
- Top executive headhunter
- Worked for No.10 (yes, that No.10)
Performing While Empty
A research initiative studying the millions of people who continue to lead, care, and perform while running emotionally, psychologically, and physically empty. Maurice is part of the team working to understand why — identifying early warning signs, exploring what sustains high performance without human damage, and developing evidence-based ways to move from survival to something more sustainable.
Visit performingwhileempty.orgDie on a Black Run, Not on the Toilet
Karen's book — and nothing about it is gentle. Diagnosed with PCA at 55, she refuses to disappear politely. Raw, angry, darkly funny and unflinchingly honest, it's told in her own words alongside Maurice's, pulling you into the chaos, conflict, and bleak humour of living with dementia. Because when everything is being taken from you, you have a choice: fade away, or take the black run.
Buy it on AmazonMeet Benson — a.k.a. PCA
Karen nicknames the condition "Benson", because giving a name to a thing makes it slightly less terrifying.
PCA (Posterior Cortical Atrophy) is a rare form of dementia that attacks the brain's visual processing — not the eyes themselves. The eyes work fine; the brain just stops making sense of what they see.
It often arrives earlier than expected — in the 50s or early 60s. And because the symptoms look like eye trouble, people are often sent round and round to the optician instead of a neurologist — sometimes for years — before anyone realises what's actually going on.
Over time, memory loss and other dementia symptoms can follow. There's no cure. But there is community, humour, and support — and that matters more than people think.
Learn more about PCA at Dementia UKCaring for someone? Start here.
You are not the only one. These UK organisations exist to help — please don't try to do it alone.