Carers are facing bleak choices as they struggle to care for their sick and disabled relatives, with nearly half of those surveyed saying money worries were affecting their health.

A survey of over 4,000 carers by Carers UK has found that almost 47% were being made ill by money worries.

The financial toll of caring was stark, with almost half (45%) of carers cutting back on essentials like food and heating to make ends meet; and nearly a third (31%) of carers were living on their overdraft.

The survey, which took place between September 2010 and July 2011, also found a very high percentage had cut back on holidays (78 per cent) leisure activities (74 per cent), buying clothes (70 per cent) and going out with friends and family (74 per cent).

Carers struggle to work and care, and an estimated one million have given up work or reduced their hours, losing an average of £11,000 a year.

Debt looms for carers and over 4 in 10 surveyed (45 per cent) said caring had pushed them into the red. On top of lost earnings, illness and disability also bring increased costs, higher household bills, for specialist equipment, foods, medicines, additional care and extra transport.

Money worries cause stress, and almost half of the carers who responded to the survey (47 per cent) said they were suffering from anxiety and depression because of concern about finances.

The isolation and stress of caring can cause mental health problems but debt exacerbates this. Of the 4,250 carers surveyed, 76 per cent said they had suffered mental health problems, and that figure rose to 85 per sent when the carers had been in debt.