The time spent giving adult care is recorded as both primary and secondary activity, and includes help given to an adult household member, (physical care, company and supervision) as well as informal help to a member of another household (help with meals, gardening, shopping etc.). Females contributed 52 per cent of care recorded in this way, and males 48 per cent.

In the HHSA estimates, imputed passive care accounted for 42 per cent of total hours. This was calculated by recoding the sleeping hours of adults giving continuous care (those who reported in the Time Use Survey questionnaire that they give 100 hours or more a week of help to a household member).

(Source: UK 2000 Time Use Survey/HHSA estimates)