4430.0 - Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2015 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 18/10/2016   
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MEDIA RELEASE
18 October 2016
Embargoed: 11:30 am (Canberra time)
107/2016
Almost 2.7 million Australians informal carers

Almost 2.7 million Australians were informal carers in 2015 and one in 10 carers were under the age of 25, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Results from the 2015 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers also show that primary carers are more likely than non-carers to live with disability.

“Over one-third of primary carers reported having disability themselves, compared with around one in six non-carers,” said ABS Program Manager of Health and Disability Statistics, Justine Boland.

“Almost one in five Australians, or 4.3 million people, were living with disability in 2015. This represents 18.3 per cent of the population,” she said.

Australians with disability had lower rates of participation in the labour force (53.4 per cent) compared with those without disability (83.2 per cent). This has remained steady since 2012.

To coincide with National Carers Week 2016, the ABS has released a one page profile of carers in Australia.

Further information is available in Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings (cat. no. 4430.0).

Media Note:
  • The Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers 2015 defines disability as any limitation, restriction or impairment which restricts everyday activities and has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months.
  • Labour force figures are for persons aged between 15 and 64 living in households.
  • When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.
  • For media requests and interviews, contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070 (8.30am - 5pm Mon-Fri).
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