Almost half of working-age women in UK do 45 hours of unpaid care a week – study

The Centre for Progressive Policy found caring responsibilities ‘disproportionately impact women and exacerbate workplace inequality’. Photograph: MoMo Productions/Getty Images

Nearly half of working-age women are providing an average of 45 hours of unpaid care every week, while 25% of men provide 17 hours, according to a study highlighting the gulf in unpaid care work.

Every year women in the UK are providing 23.2bn hours of unpaid childcare care worth an estimated £382bn, while men provide 9.7bn worth £160bn, according to research from the thinktank Centre for Progressive Policy.