A report analysing the social cost of caregiving has found over 420,000 New Zealanders are providing unpaid care for friends or family.
The Infometrics report has found New Zealand carers carry out 672 million hours of unpaid care for the ill, elderly and disabled each year.
That works out to 30 hours per week on average.
Carers New Zealand chief executive Laurie Hilsgen says the data won't be used to lobby the Government, but she does hope it notices.
"We're not saying every single carer could or should be paid for the caring work that they do," she says.
"But you after to look after them too. You have to get your head around what the carers need to be able to make this choice. "
Hilsgen says losing such a large number from the workforce has an effect on the economy as well.
"A lot of these people are not making it to retirement age," she says.
"They're having to leave the workforce in middle age to provide unpaid care."
"We better look at how to support them because it effects New Zealand's bottom line."
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