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 West Wimmera (S), accounting for 76% (2,532 people). This share was lower than Regional Vic. (78.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in provided Unpaid Assistance, which increased by 65 people and 1.6 percentage points.

Section overview

Unpaid care

West Wimmera (S) - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)

This table summarises unpaid care for West Wimmera (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Vic. and change since 2016.

Unpaid care snapshot

2021 distribution by category for West Wimmera (S), with comparison markers for Regional Vic..

West Wimmera (S)
Regional Vic.

Total Provided Unpaid Assistance

2021 count

465

% of total

14.0%

Change from 2016

+1.6pp

Total No Unpaid Assistance Provided

2021 count

2,532

% of total

76.0%

Change from 2016

-2.6pp

Total Unpaid Assistance Not Stated

2021 count

328

% of total

9.8%

Change from 2016

+0.6pp

Data table

Unpaid care for West Wimmera (S). Unpaid care. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Vic..

Unpaid care for West Wimmera (S). Unpaid care. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Vic..
Unpaid care for West Wimmera (S). Unpaid care. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Vic..
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional Vic.%Count%Regional Vic.%Countpp
Total Provided Unpaid Assistance46514.0%14.1%40012.4%12.5%+65+1.6pp
Total No Unpaid Assistance Provided2,53276.0%78.4%2,54178.6%76.9%-9-2.6pp
Total Unpaid Assistance Not Stated3289.8%7.6%2969.2%10.6%+32+0.6pp
Total3,333100.0%100.0%3,234100.0%100.0%+990.0pp