Written Question·Department for Work and Pensions·UIN 103486

Carer's Allowance: Overpayments

Tabled: 6 January 2026

Answered: 26 January 2026

Named Day

Question

Mr Andrew Snowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the risk that unpaid carers may have acquired criminal convictions as a result of DWP system failures rather than deliberate fraud.

Answer

Sir Stephen Timms

The Government inherited a system where some busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of caring responsibilities, have found themselves with unexpected debts due to earnings-related overpayments of Carer’s Allowance which they were asked to pay...

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