Claire Young demands PM address Carer’s Allowance scandal

Thornbury & Yate MP Claire Young has raised a serious case of a man with cancer being denied his backdated carer’s allowance payments directly with the Keir Starmer today, urging the Prime Minister to sort out the Department for Work and Pensions.

The Government has come under increasing fire in recent months over the conduct of the Department for Work and Pensions, which is responsible for overseeing the benefits system – including carer’s allowance.

There have been several high-profile cases raised where overpayments, whether due to a calculation error or inconsistent earnings, have seen people’s payments stopped and increasingly aggressive moves made to demand repayment.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey MP highlighted the case of one of his constituents Andrea who received a letter summoning her to a tribunal to rule on the issue two months after the announcement of an independent review into the practice.

The Liberal Democrats are pushing for all ongoing tribunals to be halted and for urgent action to ensure all those entitled to carer’s allowance receive the money they are owed.

Commenting after PMQs, Claire Young said:

“People who take on caring responsibilities are unsung heroes in our society. The way the Department of Work and Pensions has acted towards them is a national disgrace.

“By blaming any minor error or overpayment on those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, they are denying carers the money they are rightly owed and entitled to. What’s more, they’ve dragged people into long tribunals in the hope that problem eventually goes away.

“However, for people like my constituent, who is living with stage four cancer, they simply cannot afford to wait. We need to see real action from the Government to put this right now and that’s why I raised the issue directly with the Prime Minister today.

“We must ensure that any ongoing tribunals are suspended until the independent review is completed, that all those who are owed money get it promptly, and that steps are taken to ensure this debacle never happens again.”