Carers living with disability or chronic health conditions

On this webpage, a person is considered to have a disability if they live with an impairment, activity limitation, and/or participation restriction in everyday activities. This can include sensory, intellectual, physical, psychosocial, head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury and other.1

A chronic health condition refers to a long‑lasting condition with ongoing or recurring effects that may impact daily life, functioning or wellbeing. These conditions often require ongoing management and can affect quality of life. This includes, but not limited to cancer, cardiovascular conditions, chronic eye conditions, diabetes, endometriosis, kidney disease, musculoskeletal conditions, neurological conditions, rare diseases, respiratory conditions and other long-term conditions.2

A carer is anyone who provide care and support to a family member or friend who has a disability, health condition, mental illness or who is older or ageing. Many people who provide care also live with their own disability or chronic health while managing their caring responsibilities. 

About carers living with disability or chronic health conditions

Carers who live with their own disability or chronic condition are a significant but often overlooked group. It is one of the largest yet least recognised cohorts within the caring population. Despite the significant numbers, there is limited data and research available on this group which shows how hidden this cohort has been from services, systems and policies.

In 2022, almost 2 in 5 (38.6%) of Australia’s 3 million carers live with a disability, an increase from 32.1% in 2018. In NSW there were approximately 958,500 carers, of whom 334,500, or around one in three, live with disability, while around 1 in 4 (27.3%) live with other long-term health conditions. Many of these carers experience both disability and chronic health conditions.3

From the 2024, National Carer Survey, nearly half (46.5%) of carers responded to the survey reported living with their own long-term health condition or disability. Of these, nearly half (43.5%) live with more than one health condition while providing care.4

The findings from the 2024 National Carer Survey demonstrate the significant challenges faced by this cohort. Health conditions were very frequently reported concurrently. They also reported higher rates of psychological stress 62.9%, social isolation 68.9% and financial stress 67% than other carers.  This cohort also scored worse on most outcome indicators (including wellbeing, psychological distress, social connectedness and financial stress) than other carers.5

Managing caring responsibilities while living with their own disability or chronic health conditions can create compounding pressures over time. Access to accessible, timely healthcare, supports and services is essential to maintaining wellbeing and managing both caring responsibilities and personal health.

Carers NSW has more information available about the experiences of carers living with a disability or chronic health condition from the National Carer Survey, a survey conducted every two years with the support of the other State and Territory Carer Organisations. 

1 Australian Public Services Commission and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
2  Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
3 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC).
4 Carers NSW (2025). 2024 National Carer Survey: Summary report.
5 Carers NSW (2025). 2024 National Carer Survey: Summary report.

Support for carers living with disability or chronic health conditions

If you regularly help someone in your life, you might be a carer and you might not realise that there is support available.

• Carer Gateway - 1800 422 737 (Monday to Friday). Access to supports and services for all carers.

• Disability Gateway - 1800 643 787 (Monday to Friday). Access to information for supports and services for people with disability, families and carers. 
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) - 1800 800 110 (Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 8.00pm). Access to life-long supports and services for eligible people under 65 years of age with disability.
• My Aged Care - 1800 200 422 (Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 8.00pm, Saturdays 10.00am to 2.00pm). Access to supports in the home or community for people who are ageing or frail.
• NSW Mental Health Line - 1800 011 511 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Speak to a professional about your concerns or concerns for someone you care about.
• HealthDirect (call 1800 022 222 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Free, trustworthy health advice and service listings.
• NSW Health Carer support services and information - Contact information for carer support teams in each Local Health District, and resources for carers accessing public health services.
• EnableNSW (call 1800 362 253) provides mobility, communication and self-care equipment and services to eligible people in NSW.

Disability advocacy support

• Disability Advocacy support helpline – 1800 643 787 – Short term phone-based disability supports.
• Disability Advocacy NSW – 1300 365 085 - Provides free individual advocacy support services to people with disability across two-thirds of NSW. 
• PWDA – People with Disability Australia – National disability rights and advocacy run by and for people with disability 
• DANA – Disability Advocacy Network Australia – The national representative body for a network of independent disability advocacy organisations in Australia
• AFDO - Australian Federation of Disability Organisation - Peak national organisation representing people with lived experience of disability, information resources and advocacy support. 
   

Useful resources

For available resources developed by carers NSW, please visit the Carer Resources page: