Unpaid work such as housework and caring plays a major but often overlooked role in shaping gender inequality, work opportunities, and health. Women continue to do far more unpaid work than men, which affects their employment, pay, mental health, and long‑term wellbeing, especially at key life stages like parenthood, lockdowns during COVID‑19, and when caring for children and other relatives at the same time. Research using long‑term data shows that unpaid caring is linked to poorer mental health across the lifecourse, particularly for those who care intensively, start caring at a young age, or face additional disadvantages. The evidence highlights the need to recognise unpaid work in policy, identify carers earlier, and provide better support to improve health equity and reduce gender, socioeconomic, and ethnic inequalities.
Anne McMunn | Unpaid work – the missing link in the gender gap | Understanding Society Blog, 2025