A distraught single mum, who doubles as a full-time carer for her disabled son, has been slapped with a hefty £1,620 repayment demand from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Elizabeth, whose age and location were not disclosed, looks after her 20 year old son Oliver, who lives with Down’s Syndrome.
She relies on Carer’s Allowance to make ends meet but was recently blindsided by the DWP’s order to return funds after she inadvertently breached the earnings limit for claimants.
The story of Elizabeth is just one among many that have surfaced in recent weeks, spotlighting the intense scrutiny faced by carers nationwide. The DWP has been the target of widespread criticism following revelations that approximately 34,000 individuals on Carer’s Allowance were hit with fines up to £20,000 and ordered to pay back benefits for minor earnings threshold breaches.
Elizabeth found herself in dire straits when her late husband David was diagnosed with cancer, leaving him unable to work. She juggled caring for both Oliver and David until her husband’s passing in 2018, reports the Mirror.
Despite her belief that she had remained within the DWP’s earnings limits, Elizabeth was stunned to receive notice of her excess earnings. Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, she expressed her anguish: “It was just so hard, I had to earn money to help our family and to be hit with that bill was just awful. There is no compassion, and I think that is where the issue is. It is just ‘you owe this money, you must pay this back’, there is no consideration for your circumstances.”
Carer’s Allowance is a lifeline for those dedicating at least 35 hours a week to unpaid care for someone else. At present, the allowance is £81.90 per week, and claimants can work alongside it.
But beware, the rules are strict: earn over £151 weekly after deductions and you forfeit the whole amount. Unlike Universal Credit, which reduces payments gradually as you earn more, Carer’s Allowance has a cliff-edge limit.
Elizabeth, speaking on ITV, revealed her plight of being barred from claiming Carer’s Allowance despite still caring full-time for her son Oliver.
“I am so terrified now, I am not allowed Carer’s Allowance,” she said. “I have received two letters from the DWP, one saying that I do not provide 33 hours of care and the other saying that I am working, but I work for myself, it is the only way that I can work.”
She added: “We have an adult social care system which is in crisis, health care is in crisis. I am not just a single carer, there is a whole army of single carers out there. My life is not tragic, it is full of love and I care because I love my son and I would do anything to help him.”
Addressing the matter, a DWP spokesperson previously informed the Mirror: “Carers across the UK are unsung heroes who make a huge difference to someone else’s life and we have increased Carer’s Allowance by almost £1,500 since 2010.
“Our most recent statistics show that Carer’s Allowance overpayments relating to earnings represents just 2.1 percent of the £3.3 billion we spend supporting those who look after loved ones. Claimants have a responsibility to inform DWP of any changes in their circumstances that could impact their award, and with safeguards in place to manage repayments, this ensures fairness in our welfare system.”
