Carer's Allowance Overpayment Debt Rises to £250 Million

The outstanding debt from Carer's Allowance overpayments has surged to over £250 million, reflecting a £100 million increase since 2018, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). The number of individuals falling into this debt has risen by 71% from 80,169 to 136,730, with many unaware they exceeded the earnings limit of £151 per week until years later. The government has initiated a review of the overpayment system, spurred by criticism from charities highlighting the unfair penalization of carers for minor earnings excesses. As the earnings threshold is set to increase to £196 per week in April, the NAO reports that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) distributed £3.7 billion in Carer's Allowance to over 900,000 claimants last year. Critics argue that the