A new study by the NHS Information Centre has shown that half of carers are made ill by the work they do for their loved ones, reports the Daily Mail.

A quarter of carers do not sleep well or at all, and around one-third say they feel stressed and tired - with one in five reporting irritability as a common feeling and an increasingly short temper. Interviews with over 2400 carers of all ages provided the data, which showed that in England alone, 15 per cent of households contain a carer.

Around 60 percent of carers are female, and the ages vary from young children to teenagers, adults, the middle-aged and one in four carers being over 65. Although one-fifth of carers claim they have a good quality of life, many - two in five - say their responsibilities to a loved one have a significant effect on their personal and social relationships.

Almost one-third say they are too tired to go out and enjoy themselves, and one in four are unable to take holidays by themselves or with their loved one - not knowing that with the help of those in social care jobs, they are able to take respite and time for themselves.

The chief executive of Carers UK, Imelda Redmond CBE, says "Around 2.3 million people become carers every year, and we hear from families who are simply not told about the support that is there for them." in On Medica.

"Many don't see themselves as carers, but as mothers, sons, partners and friends looking after ill or disabled loved ones. As a result, they miss out on support and end up caring round the clock without a break, and struggling to pay even basic food and heating bills."