The stricter allocation of resources affects both the carers and the cared-for, not only according to class but also from a gender perspective. The results of a project on the life situation of elderly people in a suburb of Stockholm show that all people, irrespective of their educational attainment levels get the same, but now less, public services. This reduction in
services has produced different coping strategies. While higher educated people in better financial situations are able to purchase services on the market, the less educated people seem to be more dependent on the support of relatives. In consequence, the burden of unpaid work becomes heavier for the women (wives, daughters etc.) in the lower strata of society. From the perspective of the care receivers women are also hit harder by the reduction in services than men. On the one hand, women have a higher life expectancy and so more frequently live alone when they grow older and, on the other hand, they typically take care of their frail husbands–under the new arrangements with even less support from home help services (Szebehely 1999, 2000). From the perspective of the carers there is a risk of a growing 'grey
market' where women with insecure labour market participation become the 'caringproletariat' outside the regulated labour market. This is mainly a risk for women who have no formal qualifications and formerly often found employment within the publicly funded social service sector