Women who look after a sick or elderly relative are more likely to suffer from mental health problems than men who take on the same role, research suggests.

A report by the Office for National Statistics found just over one in five women carers in England complained of having depression, phobias and anxiety, compared with 12% of men.

Women are more likely to take on the role of running the home and looking after the family as well as that of a carer

Rory Hegarty

The report showed female carers were more likely to suffer from mental health disorders than women in the general population.

However, male carers were no more vulnerable than other men.

It also found that people who spent 20 hours or more a week caring were twice as likely to show symptoms of mental health conditions, as were those living with the person they were looking after.

The report, called Mental Health of Carers, was based on interviews with 1,350 adult carers across England.

Carer numbers

ONS figures show there are 6.8 million carers in Britain aged over 16.

The vast majority - 79% - cared for a sick, disabled or elderly relative, with the remaining 21% looking after a friend or neighbour.

About a third of carers looked after someone they live with, the remaining two-thirds caring for someone living elsewhere.

Just under half the carers who looked after their relative, friend or neighbour for more than 20 hours a week said someone else was needed if they were ever to take a break.

Of these, about half had not been able to take a break since becoming a carer.

About a third of carers said they felt what they did had a moderate or extreme adverse effect on relationships with friends or their social life. Both reports were published to coincide with National Carers Week, which runs until June 16.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "There have been substantial increases in the level of funding provided for social services in recent years.

"The government will be increasing the resources for personal social services by an annual average of 6% in real terms from 2003/4 to 2005/6.

"This should enable councils to plan and deliver services needed by carers at the local level."

Rory Hegarty, spokesman for the charity Carers UK, said: "We have always known from speaking to carers that in general there is a mental health problem.

"The reason why women are more affected than men is because women are more likely to take on the role of running the home and looking after the family as well as that of a carer."