Does more jobs for women mean less time for care? Are men filling the gap by staying at home to look after children or elderly parents? Or is there a risk that no one will be left to care? Research from the Universities of Salford and Aberystwyth examines the costs of staying at home to care for the very young and elderly relatives. More women than men are in fact unpaid carers but men do take on caring tasks and both men and women face trade-offs between employment and unpaid care work. As populations age, this problem will worsen. Is the answer to ensure that carers are compensated for lost earnings?