Employment

Unpaid care

About this topic

Unpaid care records whether people aged 15 years and over spent time providing unpaid help or assistance to someone because of disability, long-term illness, or problems related to old age. It captures informal care provided by family members or others in the community.

This topic is useful for understanding the demand placed on informal carers and the likely need for support services, respite, and home-based assistance. It does not measure the intensity or duration of care, so it should be read alongside need for assistance and other health and ageing indicators.

Interpretation notes

  • This records whether a person aged 15 years and over provided unpaid help or assistance in the previous two weeks because of disability, long-term illness, or old age.
  • It identifies whether care was provided, not the intensity, frequency, or number of hours of care.

Key insight

In 2021, not providing unpaid care was the most common response among residents aged 15 and over in Cunningham (Qld), accounting for 72% (36 people). This share was lower than Southern Downs (R) (77.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in not providing unpaid care, which increased by 2 people and 5.3 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid care

Cunningham (Qld) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid care for Cunningham (Qld) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Southern Downs (R) and change since 2016.

Unpaid care snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Cunningham (Qld), with comparison markers for Southern Downs (R).

Cunningham (Qld)
Southern Downs (R)

Total Provided Unpaid Assistance

2021 count

9

% of total

18.0%

Change from 2016

+2.3pp

Total No Unpaid Assistance Provided

2021 count

36

% of total

72.0%

Change from 2016

+5.3pp

Total Unpaid Assistance Not Stated

2021 count

7

% of total

14.0%

Change from 2016

-7.6pp

Data table

Unpaid care for Cunningham (Qld). Unpaid care. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Southern Downs (R).

Unpaid care for Cunningham (Qld). Unpaid care. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Southern Downs (R).
Unpaid care for Cunningham (Qld). Unpaid care. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Southern Downs (R).
Category20212016Change
Count%Southern Downs (R)%Count%Southern Downs (R)%Countpp
Total Provided Unpaid Assistance918.0%13.7%815.7%13.1%+1+2.3pp
Total No Unpaid Assistance Provided3672.0%77.6%3466.7%77.4%+2+5.3pp
Total Unpaid Assistance Not Stated714.0%8.7%1121.6%9.6%-4-7.6pp
Total50100.0%100.0%51100.0%100.0%-10.0pp