Scores of carers overpaid more than £20,000 last year despite reforms
Summary
Last year, many unpaid carers in the UK were told to repay large amounts of money due to mistakes in the government’s system for carer’s allowance. Despite changes made to improve the system, over 32,000 overpayments happened, with some carers owing more than £20,000 and facing possible legal trouble.Key Facts
- In 2025-26, 32,559 overpayments were made, totaling £33 million, asking carers to repay money.
- Some carers were asked to repay debts over £20,000, with the number of extreme debts rising from 46 to 78.
- Over half of the overpayments were more than £500, and many were not caught quickly by officials.
- About 1,166 carers owed over £5,000, putting them at risk of fraud investigations.
- The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) introduced new rules to detect overpayments faster starting April 2025.
- An independent review found the problem was due to system failures and poor management at the DWP, not carers cheating.
- The DWP promised to review and repay some wrongly charged money but has not addressed all compensation issues.
- Carer groups and politicians say the current system is unfair and outdated, causing stress and financial problems for carers.
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