'The problem is, the system itself needs a complete restructuring.'

Dan White, Policy Director of Disability Rights UK and a carer himself, says issues with Carer's Allowance have resulted in carers having to repay 'unbelievable amounts of money' to the Government.

#Newsnight

#Newsnight special - unpaid carers say they’re being forced to pay back overpayments in Carers’ Allowance

One woman tells us she’s been told she owes £20,000

The NAO estimates a £20k debt will take 34 yrs to be repaid

“To suggest that writing them all off will solve the problem – it won’t. We’ve got to stop them happening in the first place”

Labour MP Sir Stephen Timms tells #Newsnight he wouldn’t call on a future Labour government to cancel the debts carers are being called to repay:

Ben Chu, '£218 million a year in overpayment for carers this year.. In the context of £290 billion, the total annual benefits expenditure by DWP, the carer's allowance accounts for 1.4%'

'Estimated overpayments of carers allowance account for 0.08% of the total'

'Total benefit…

“It made me feel like a criminal”

Amanda Hunter, an unpaid carer for her mother was left £300 a month worse off after her carers allowance was offset against her Universal Credit and her mother's Pension.

#newsnight

Victoria Derbyshire, 'Each of these carers is being forced to pay back in some cases over £20,000 because the DWP has overpaid them carers allowance'

'Five years ago ministers promised to address the problem of overpayments with new technology. So why are so many carers still…

“The idea that this system is working is just wrong & if ministers are just listening to what carers are telling them, they’ve really got to reform the whole system”

Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey MP tells #Newsnight that carers are exhausted:

Dan White, 'We've seen and heard the unbelievable levels of poverty that carers are living in.. The unbelievable amount of money they're being forced to pay back.. Money that could effectively be going on supporting the disabled individual they're living with' Dan White : Disability Campaigner & Author ♿️…

Labour MP Stephen Timms shamefully supports forcing carers to repay debts that aren't their fault, claiming 'to suggest that writing them all off is going to solve the problem – it won’t'. It'll solve the problem for those carers, Stephen. I'm with Dalia.

Back at it !!
🟣🟠🔵🟢
Promoting ‘Foster Care Fortnight’ and all the positive work that our carers do
💜💜💜💜
Even getting a smile 😊

The DWP is trying to get back 'over payment' of ~£200M from low paid carers, those sacrificing their time & jobs to care for families, & lower the burden of NHS / Care system.

Think about Sunak wrote off £10B PPE & £4B covid fraud?!
#newsnight

'These carers are basically keeping the country going, it can be quite a lonely and dark place at times'

Lindsey Burrow, whose husband Rob is living with MND, told #BBCBreakfast about her plans for a book highlighting the role of unpaid carers called 'Take Care: A Memoir of…

Unpaid Carers? 24/7 work.
We save the country millions.
Carer's Allowance in the UK £81.90 per week max. for providing 24/7 care.
£81 is disgraceful.
It's way out of step with the times and costs.
Please repost to help raise awareness of this #Newsnight

Hey carers, fuck you.

Love, Labour.

BBC Newsnight Labour MP Sir Stephen Timms tells #Newsnight he wouldn’t call on a future Labour government to cancel the debts carers are being called to repay 🤦‍♂️
Starmer's Labour:

Why is the carers allowance £81 a week

When the national living wage is £457 a week?

And why can MPs can claim £125 a week for food (£25 daily allowance), which is more than a carer earns, often for 24/7 care, seven days a week?

There are around 10 million carers in the UK,…

We’ve created a nightmarish complex social security system & carers allowance is the worst. We need a better model to enable those with a relationship with care to live good lives. What we’ve seen tonight is that peoples lives even with it are terrible. #newsnight

Victoria has always been a champion for unpaid carers. It makes her angry to see people's lives trashed like this & she gave them a voice. You could see her clapping all of them at end of show. More journos like this please. Thank you. Victoria Derbyshire #Newsnight

Please see the image for details of this upcoming meeting next week with the headteacher open to all parents/carers whose children attend Firth Park Academy.