Background to the report

In 2019, we published the results of an Investigation into overpayments of Carer’s Allowance. We undertook the investigation because Members of Parliament had expressed concerns about the level of overpayments and the impact on claimants of DWP’s attempts to recover them. A whistleblower had also contacted the DWP Permanent Secretary alleging that ongoing issues in Carer’s Allowance had not been resolved. The Work and Pensions Committee used our report to inform its own inquiry into Overpayments of Carer’s Allowance.

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The Work and Pensions Committee held two oral evidence sessions in spring 2024 to follow up its earlier inquiry. In May 2024, the then Chair of the Committee wrote to the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) to ask if we could set out the latest information on Carer’s Allowance, including on overpayment levels. In his reply, the C&AG agreed that, given the continuing concerns about the administration of this benefit, there would be value in us undertaking some further work on this area.

We compiled data about Carer’s Allowance on a consistent basis over the period 2018-19 to 2023-24. The purpose of our work was to improve transparency and inform public debate about Carer’s Allowance. Our work was not designed to assess the value for money of DWP’s administration of Carer’s Allowance.

Scope of the report

This report sets out:

  • an overview of Carer’s Allowance, including data on the number of claimants and expenditure
  • information about Carer’s Allowance overpayments, including data on the amounts involved and on how DWP seeks to prevent and identify overpayments
  • information about DWP’s handling of Carer’s Allowance overpayments, including data on debt, prosecutions and penalties

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Publication details

Press release

View press release (11 Dec 2024)

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