How many people provide informal care?

In the Netherlands in 2023, 13 percent of people aged 16 years and over were providing informal care. A total of 1.9 million people provided care to a family member or somebody else for 13 hours a week, on average. Women were more likely to provide informal care than men.

Informal caregivers provide unpaid care to somebody who is suffering from a long-term illness, is in need of help or is disabled. Somebody who has done this for at least 3 months or for 8 hours per week is classed as an informal caregiver. The care provided may consist of assistance with household tasks, washing and dressing, keeping the person company, or handling financial tasks.

The number of informal caregivers has fallen slightly since 2020, relative to previous years. In 2015–2019, approximately 14 to 15 percent of the population were informal caregivers, while in 2022–2023 it was 13 percent. However, informal carers now spend slightly more time providing care. In 2023, that was 13 hours per week on average, up from 11 hours in 2015.

Show datatableInformal caregivers aged 16 and over (%)Hide datatableInformal caregivers aged 16 and over (%)

Informal caregivers aged 16 and over (%)

Jaartal	Informal caregivers
2015	14.9
2016	13.9
2017	14.9
2018	14.5
2019	15.3
2020	12.4
2021	12.3
2022	13.0
2023	12.7

Women more likely to be informal caregivers

Women were more likely to provide informal care than men. Of all women aged 16 and over, 15 percent provided care to a family member or acquaintance in 2023, while for men the share was 10 percent. Women also spent more time (14 hours per week) providing informal care than men (12 hours per week), on average.

Nearly 4 in 10 children of older people provide informal care

Children of older people were more likely to provide informal care than in previous years. In 2022, 37 percent of people with a parent aged 80 or over provided informal care, while ten years previously that was 32 percent. Daughters were more likely to provide informal care than sons and were also more likely to experience a heavy care burden. In 2022, 9 percent of women with parents aged 80 and over experienced a heavy care burden, while among men the share was 4 percent.

Show datatableInformal care provided by children of people aged 80 and over (% of children of people aged 80 and over)Hide datatableInformal care provided by children of people aged 80 and over (% of children of people aged 80 and over)

Informal care provided by children of people aged 80 and over (% of children of people aged 80 and over)

Mate van mantelzorgen	Jaartal	Share
Provide informal care	2022, Provide informal care	36.7
Provide informal care	2012, Provide informal care	32.0
Experience a heavy care burden	2022, Experience a heavy care burden	6.7
Experience a heavy care burden	2012, Experience a heavy care burden	4.5
Source: Health Survey Adults and Older people 2022 and 2012, GGD, CBS and RIVM

Children who live closer to their parents are more likely to provide informal care

Children with parents aged 80 or over who live nearby were more likely to provide informal care than those who live further away. For example, 43 percent of those whose parents live less than 5 km away provided informal care. Among those with parents living 50 km or more away, the share was 25 percent. People with no siblings were more likely to provide informal care than people with siblings. They were also more likely to experience a heavier burden of care.