Analysis reveals postcode lottery for dementia carers’ quality of life

Dementia carers face a stark postcode lottery when it comes to their quality of life, with those in some parts of England faring far worse than others, according to new analysis.

We reviewed the Survey of Adult Carers in England 2025-2026 to identify where dementia carers report higher and lower quality of life and the factors that may impact unpaid care experiences.  

The analysis found that dementia carers living in County Durham reported the highest quality of life, scoring 8.7 out of a maximum score of 12, versus dementia carers in Brent and Shropshire who scored their quality of life as 5.8.  

The best and worst scoring areas for dementia carer quality of life

Five highest-scoring areas for dementia carer quality of life (out of 12):

• County Durham – 8.7
• Rutland – 8.4
• Richmond upon Thames – 8.3
• East Sussex – 8.2
• County of Herefordshire – 8.1  

Five lowest-scoring areas for dementia carer quality of life (out of 12):

• Brent – 5.8
• Shropshire – 5.8
• Ealing – 5.9
• Southwark – 5.9
• Nottingham – 6.1 

What impacts dementia carers' quality of life

The factors that appear to have the most positive impact on carers’ quality of life are being satisfied with support, being involved in discussions about care and information being easy to find.

By comparison, the factors that appear to have the most negative impact are financial difficulty caused by caring, providing more than 100 hours of care a week and feeling lonely.

More than a third of dementia carers (38.1%) provide 100 hours or more of care every week, with almost half (49%) saying they experience loneliness, while almost one in five (19%) say they have no control over their daily lives.  

There are an estimated 1.8 million people providing some form of care for someone with dementia in England. These figures may understate the true scale of the issues dementia carers face, as the survey covers only carers known to their council.

The reality of the dementia carer postcode lottery

Karen Rangara, 52, cares for her dad Frank, 84, who was diagnosed with mixed dementia in 2021. Frank lives at home with Karen’s mum and the family has struggled to get support from Brent Council. 

Karen said: 'It’s really tough mentally, as you put your own life on hold to be a carer. It’s not just the day-to-day care, which is a battle in itself, but also trying to plot a course for the future. Dealing with Brent Council has been an absolute nightmare. I’ve submitted request after request for additional support, chased repeatedly, and heard nothing back.  

'Organisations like Alzheimer’s Society and Community Action on Dementia (CAD) Brent offer first class support and tell you what rights you’re entitled to, but when you reach out to the bodies who are supposed to act on that, they either don’t know it’s their responsibility or push you onto another department. 

You have to fight with them to get them to accept that it falls under their remit and it simply shouldn’t be like that.

Launching the Dementia Carers Together Appeal

The findings come as the we launch the Dementia Carers Together Appeal with the Daily Mail – an ambitious campaign aiming to raise millions for a new nationwide support network for people caring for someone with dementia.

The new Dementia Carers Together service will combine practical information with peer support through dedicated local and online groups, helping carers understand their rights, navigate complex systems and connect with others who know what they are going through.

Michelle Dyson CB, CEO of Alzheimer's Society, said: 'It is concerning that almost half of dementia carers experience loneliness and more than a third provide over 100 hours of care every week. These are people giving extraordinary amounts of themselves to care for someone they love, and far too many are paying the price with their own quality of life.

Caring for someone with dementia can mean being on call day and night, sacrificing time with friends, work and your own wellbeing. Whether you can cope with those demands should never depend on where you happen to live.

'But this data shows that in areas where carers report a better quality of life, more carers are also satisfied with the support they receive, feel involved in discussions about care and find information and advice easier to access.

'While these findings cannot tell us all the factors involved, they underline just how vital it is that every family can access the information and support they need, wherever they live.

'That is why our Dementia Carers Together service will offer practical advice and opportunities for carers to share experiences and learn from others, both online and in person, helping them feel better supported through the challenges of caring for someone with dementia.'