Carers Ordered to Repay Unlawful Benefit Cuts Despite DWP Knowledge
Thousands of unpaid carers are being asked to return benefits they received, even though the DWP knew the rules were illegal and had already been scrapped.
In a concerning display of bureaucratic overreach, thousands of unpaid carers in the UK have been ordered to repay benefits that were awarded under unlawful and discredited policy guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). According to reports, around 1,400 carers have received letters from the DWP in January, demanding the repayment of sums relating to alleged breaches of carer's allowance earnings rules that had been scrapped four months prior.
The issue stems from the DWP's use of guidance that was later found to be unlawful and discredited. Despite this knowledge, the department has continued to pursue these repayments, placing an undue burden on vulnerable individuals who were simply following the rules as they were presented to them. This raises serious questions about the DWP's accountability and its treatment of those who rely on its services.
Source: The Guardian
