The Department for Work and Pensions is under intense pressure following a damning review of its handling of Carer's Allowance, which uncovered widespread systemic failures. Senior officials are facing a significant backlash for what experts have labelled "misleading" claims about the scale of the problem.
Senior Official Blames Carers for Failures
Neil Couling, the DWP's top civil servant responsible for Carer's Allowance, sparked controversy by suggesting that carers themselves were at fault for decade-long administrative errors. This stance has been met with outrage from carer advocacy groups and experts.
Professor Sue Yeandle, the UK's leading authority on unpaid carers, strongly criticised ministers and senior DWP officials. She stated they had put forward "really misleading" assertions that the failures impacted only a small number of people.
Charity Chief Highlights 'Devastation' for Families
Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, contradicted the DWP's minimisation of the issue. "This is not a small number of people," she asserted. "Its scale and the devastation caused to so many families cannot be over-estimated, as was laid bare in Liz Sayce’s report. Any suggestion that this is anything other than a systemic failure over a number of years is unacceptable."
Professor Yeandle echoed concerns about the department's response, noting that an internal DWP memo published last weekend failed to inspire confidence that senior officials would address the problems with the necessary urgency.
DWP Apologises and Promises Action
Peter Schofield, the DWP's most senior civil servant, offered an apology: "I am sorry for all of those who are affected by this, but I am going to sort it out." A departmental spokesperson acknowledged inheriting a flawed system and outlined corrective measures.
The DWP stated it is accepting most of the recommendations from Liz Sayce's review and is already implementing changes. These include:
- Hiring extra staff to prevent carers from accruing large overpayment debts.
- Updating internal guidance for staff.
- Improving communication letters to ensure carers understand what changes they must report.
Future actions promised involve reassessing affected cases, with the potential to reduce, cancel, or refund debts for tens of thousands of carers. The department also pledged to modernise the benefit system to prevent a recurrence of these systemic failures.
