Debt Talk: Carers & benefit overpayment

Thousands of unpaid carers have been fined due to falling foul of earnings rules in the UK. Some of them also faced prosecution. The Department of Work and Pension (DWP) is recovering the overpayment of carers’ allowance from their existing benefit or salaries. On this month’s Debt Talk podcast, Ripon Ray explored: ‘Carers & benefit overpayment’ with distinguished guests from a funder and civil society organisations.

Rory Ewan, Senior Analyst from Policy in Practice, spoke about financial and non-financial challenges carers face in the UK. He explained the nature of carers’ role and how they have fallen foul of the criteria for carers allowance. He also describes how income received under carers allowance is different from universal credit. Universal credit has a taper system where carers lose the whole ...