Abstract

Background The health of young carers is poorer, on average, than their peers. The timing and persistence of health and wellbeing changes around becoming a young carer are unknown. We investigated how health and wellbeing change before, during and after becoming a young carer in the UK and whether this varies by caring intensity, age, gender, ethnicity, or household income. Methods We used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009–2023) on young people aged 10–25. Outcomes were self-rated health, life satisfaction and self-esteem (8-item Rosenberg scale). We used propensity score matching to match young carers to similar non-carers and applied piecewise growth curve modelling to model health and wellbeing trajectories for young carers and non-carers. Analyses were stratified by caring intensity (hours and recipient), age, gender, household income and ethnicity. Samples varied from 2320 (self-esteem by age-group) to 4606 (self-rated health by household income). Findings Approximately 12% (n = 2400/16,622) of young people became young carers. Young carers had lower life satisfaction two years prior to becoming a young carer (−0.03, 95% confidence interval: −0.09, −0.01) and this difference persisted for three years after. Young carers who cared for 10 or more hours/week (−0.03, 95% confidence interval: −0.10, 0.04), those from Black ethnic groups (−0.22, 95% confidence interval: −0.38, −0.05), and those from households in the lowest fifth of income had larger differences in life satisfaction before and during becoming a young carer (−0.05, 95% confidence interval: −0.13, 0.04). We observed no differences in self-esteem or self-rated health during or after becoming a young carer. Interpretation These findings highlight the importance of early identification and support for young carers plus reducing the care loads of young carers to prevent declines in wellbeing. Funding The project has been funded by the Nuffield Foundation and the Joint Programming Initiative More Years Better Lives from the national funding body UK Economic and Social Research Council.