Many unpaid carers across the UK have been plunged into financial hardship by unknowingly receiving Carers Allowance overpayments and being forced to pay them back. 

Unpaid carers who provide at least 35 hours of care for a loved one with a disability or illness and earn less than £151 a week, are entitled to Carers Allowance payments. Due to issues with the forms and administration from the Department of Work and Pensions (the DWP), it is estimated that they have overpaid more than 145,000 unpaid carers, 12,000 of whom have been overpaid more than £5,000 in benefits and in some cases up to £20,000.  

To fix the overpayment, the DWP are unfairly forcing unpaid carers to repay the debt or in some cases, risk going to prison. As this benefit applies to those with a very small earning limit, it hits those who are already likely to be struggling. 

Suzi Henderson, CEO of Cloverleaf Advocacy, said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened to hear the stories of how many unpaid carers across the country, who have worked tirelessly each day to care for friends and loved ones and have given up some much of their own lives, have been affected by these overpayments. It is completely unacceptable and is a huge burden on top of the many financial and emotional challenges unpaid carers already experience daily.” 

An investigation in 2019 looking into the Carer’s Allowance by the National Audit Office led to a commitment by the government aimed at ‘stopping overpayments taking place’, but this hasn’t come into fruition. 

Carers UK are urging the government to invest more into Carers Allowance systems and processing. To help fight their case, they are looking for people to come forward who have been affected by the carer allowance overpayments and fill out a short survey they have launched. 

This survey will be sent to Government and senior parliamentarians to demonstrate the personal cost to many families and individuals who are providing care. 

To fill out the survey, please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CAoverpayment 

To find out more visit: Support for Carers UK’s Carer’s Allowance overpayments campaign | Carers UK