Carers Trust responds to the findings of the Independent Review into Carer's Allowance overpayments

An independent review into the Carer's Allowance overpayment scandal has been published today. The review was headed by disability expert, Liz Sayce OBE.   

Responding to the review's findings and recommendations, Carers Trust's CEO, Kirsty McHugh, said: 
“We are delighted with the recommendations set out in the Sayce Review and the Government’s commitment to accepting almost all of them. Thousands of carers who have undergone the shame of being treated like cheats will be feeling vindicated as they read the report and the Government’s response.   

"As the Review makes clear, the DWP’s guidance on earnings was both wrong and confusing. It was a huge error going back a decade that meant countless carers were wrongly judged to have received overpayments of Carer’s Allowance. We are pleased the DWP has taken it on the chin and listened to both carers and the services that support them. Its acknowledgement of its error today, along with its commitment to resolve this injustice, are a very positive step forward in making right this wrong to carers.  

"We are also pleased to see the DWP’s commitment to improving the interaction between its software systems for different benefits. This means carers on both Carer’s Allowance and Universal Credit will get the financial support they are entitled to without deductions. This is something we called for after it was raised with us by a carer, and has become increasingly urgent given the numbers of carers now on Universal Credit as well as Carer’s Allowance.  

“Setting up the reassessment service to identify where carers are owed a reimbursement is a massive step for the DWP. We are committed to working with them wherever possible to ensure carers can claim back the money owed to them.”