Summer holiday season is upon us but, while many of us look forward to a week or two in the sun, new research reveals that less than a third of the UK’s seven million unpaid carers expect to go on any kind of holiday this year.

More than two thirds (68%) of carers quizzed by Carers Trust said they wouldn’t be going on holiday this year, half haven’t had holiday for between one and five years, and a quarter haven’t been away at all in the last five years.

The research was carried out as Carers Trust launches its Britain’s Best Breakfast fundraising campaign, which urges the UK to ‘wake up’ to the realities of caring and raise money to support the UK’s unpaid carers.

30% of carers who responded to the survey told us they never get a break of any kind. Only 7% said they get a daily break from the responsibility of caring, but even then 63% of carers admitted they spent their ‘breaks’ doing chores.

Over half of those who said they never got a break said it was because there was no one else to take over. 41% of carers quizzed said they couldn’t go on holiday because they can’t afford to and 30% said they had nobody to pick up the responsibility of care if they went away.

Gail Scott-Spicer, Chief Executive at Carers Trust said: “This research confirms that carers often work around the clock without a break. Many tell us they often don’t even have time for breakfast, missing out on an essential time of the day. With your help, Carers Trust can help ease the pressure on those that care unpaid, and provide them with breaks, support and advice.”

Carers Trust wants Britain’s Best Breakfast, supported by leading bakery food-on-the-go retailer, Greggs, to raise money to support all unpaid carers and give them a break from their caring role through its network of carer centres and schemes.