The Department for Work and Pensions has been accused of using "threatening and cruel" tactics against unpaid carers, with the threat of even higher fines if they challenge any penalties.
A former council employee has revealed that her ordeal with the DWP has "destroyed" her confidence, leaving her feeling powerless. "I can't afford this bill but I can't afford to argue with them because if I do I've made these mistakes already, chances are I've made other mistakes," she said. Carers who are entitled to £81.90 a week in carer's allowance, the smallest benefit of its kind, must provide at least 35 hours of care per week. They are permitted to work, but their earnings must not surpass £151 a week after tax and expenses.
In Parliament, there have been calls for the government to halt probes into unpaid carers and to review potential system failures, with three former department heads, including Iain Duncan Smith, voicing their concerns. Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, who sits on the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, condemned the DWP's approach as "simply vindictive".
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