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Government Orders Mass Review of Carer’s Allowance Debts After Damning Sayce Report

An independent review found DWP design flaws caused widespread, non‑wilful overpayments to unpaid carers.

Overview

  • Cases dating back to 2015 will be reassessed, with many overpayment debts to be reduced, cancelled or refunded where calculations were driven by flawed rules.
  • Ministers say they have accepted the vast majority of roughly 40 recommendations, with most affected carers to be contacted by DWP and no immediate action required from them.
  • The review did not recommend a general compensation scheme, and the government has not announced one.
  • The handling of past prosecutions and criminal convictions remains undecided, though some outcomes could be reconsidered as reassessments proceed.
  • The findings cite a punitive weekly earnings cliff edge at £196 and unclear guidance on averaging fluctuating pay, compounded by DWP’s failure to use real‑time data to warn carers.