A report by the Social and Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) said that more people were becoming stuck between paid work and caring for someone close to them. The Netherlands has more than 5.5 million carers, including about one million who provide more than eight hours of help each week. Among carers aged 18 to 67, 80% combine care with paid work, and the SCP described overload as a real problem. In North Holland, about one in eight adults is a carer, according to the 2024 Health Monitor.

MantelzorgNL director Esther Hendriks said the growing demand for care was increasing pressure on carers, while Yuri van de Bogaerde of the Mantelzorgcentrum in Noord-Holland Noord said many employees struggled to combine their responsibilities and often did not discuss care at work. The centre is helping employers identify carers among their staff and introduce measures such as flexible working hours and leave arrangements. Van de Bogaerde said greater awareness was needed to reduce the taboo surrounding care in the workplace.