Overpayments to carers must be recouped in 'compassionate' way - minister

It is right for the government to recover overpayments of benefits to unpaid carers but this must be done in a "compassionate" way, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has said.

Some have said they were told to repay thousands of pounds after erroneously being overpaid Carer's Allowance.

Mr Dowden said "appropriate discretion" should be shown in such cases.

However, he added: "It's right on behalf of the taxpayer to be able to recuperate those [overpayments]."

Full-time carers can claim £81.90 a week, but they become ineligible for the whole amount if they earn more than £151 a week, after tax and expenses.

Some carers have told the BBC they were unaware they had exceeded the threshold until being informed years later, when the sums had run into the thousands.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has faced criticism for failing to prevent overpayments, despite benefits staff getting automatic alerts from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if a Carer's Allowance claimant is earning over the threshold.

On Tuesday, one of the prime minister's dementia champions quit in protest over the issue, saying clawing back benefits overpayments was "devastating" for families.

The DWP says claimants have a responsibility to inform the department of any changes in their circumstances which would impact their allowance.

Standing in for Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Dowden faced calls from Liberal Democrat health and social care spokeswoman Daisy Cooper to apologise to unpaid carers "failed by his government".

"Unpaid carers have shared heartbreaking stories of how they have been hounded by the DWP and told to pay huge fines for minor infringements on carers' allowance earning rules," she said.

"All because the government failed to do anything about a problem they have known about for years."

In response, Mr Dowden said the government had uprated benefits for carers.

He added: "Of course we'll work with anyone who is struggling to negotiate sustainable and affordable repayment plans."

Later, Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central Chi Onwurah raised the case of constituent who cares for her mother and works part-time at WH Smith.

She told the Commons the woman kept the DWP informed of her job but because of a "blunder" by the department now faces a bill of £4,000.

Mr Dowden replied: "People up and down the country would expect the government to seek to recover overpaid sums.

"But of course we need to do that in a compassionate way and if people are struggling to make payments I know that the DWP will engage to make sure they have a sustainable and affordable way to make those repayments."