"The public accounts committee (PAC) said management failures and systemic issues at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had led to carers being incorrectly forced to repay overpayments running into thousands of pounds. The committee said a lack of integrated, concerted leadership allowed carer's allowance problems to proliferate for years and the DWP must now rebuild trust with carers by giving the issue the leadership and attention it has long deserved."
"A government-commissioned review published in November concluded carers should not be blamed for falling foul of a complex, outdated and punitive carer's allowance system. It said many had suffered a profound negative effect on their health, finances, career and family wellbeing as a result. Official estimates indicate at least 26,000 carers were wrongly penalised for supposed breaches of benefit rules that were meant to allow carers with irregular earnings, such as teachers, to look after loved ones while"
The public accounts committee urged welfare leaders to accelerate redress for tens of thousands of unpaid carers facing large, wrongly assessed overpayment debts. Management failures and systemic DWP issues incorrectly forced carers to repay sums running into thousands of pounds. A lack of integrated leadership allowed carer's allowance problems to persist for years, eroding trust. Investigations and a government review found design and administration failures, serious health and financial harm, and wrongful fraud convictions. Officials estimate at least 26,000 carers were wrongly penalised despite rules intended to accommodate irregular earnings.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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