As the hon. Gentleman has rightly said, we have now started reviewing those 200,000 cases. We anticipate that there will probably be 25,000 people among the 200,000 who could have debts cancelled, or could possibly be refunded. If carer’s allowance has been overpaid and should not have been, we will of course need to recover the money. The problem has been that the previous Government’s guidance in the Department was wrong. We have now corrected that, so I am hopeful that that particular kind of mistake will not occur again.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has prosecuted cases of benefit fraud since 2012. DWP will refer cases where there is evidence that a claimant has deliberately claimed benefits they are not entitled to or provided false information. The decision to prosecute is decided by the CPS.

The NAO published DWP’s data on the number of cases related to the overpayments of Carer’s Allowance that were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) for prosecution since 2015.

These are available on p.23 in the NAO Investigation into overpayments of Carer's Allowance report published on 26 April 2019. These volumes relate to cases where the individuals concerned have a Carer’s Allowance overpayment, however Carer’s Allowance might not be the primary benefit under consideration for the prosecution.

On p.30 in the NAO Carer’s Allowance report published on 11 December 2024. These volumes are only where a case is being referred for prosecution where a Carer’s Allowance overpayment was the primary benefit under investigation. Therefore, they are not directly comparable to the preceding volumes.

The volumes are for all prosecutions including earnings-related cases.

Overall Government responsibility for support for unpaid carers in England sits with the Department for Health and Social Care.

DWP can provide financial support to qualifying unpaid carers through Carer’s Allowance, the Carer Element in Universal Credit and the Carer Addition in Pension Credit. Income Maximisation Services and other Crisis Support may be available to unpaid carers locally through a number of routes, including independent organisations such as the Carers Trust. DWP staff can signpost unpaid carers to this support where appropriate. DWP can also support unpaid carers who wish to combine their caring responsibilities with paid work through our Jobcentre Plus network and other employment support.

My Department has engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Fund through a structured co-design process, including eligibility requirements. We are considering feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance in January 2026.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan and the 2025/26 Better Care Fund policy framework, we will reform the Better Care Fund from financial year 2026/27. An announcement with further detail on this reform will be made in due course. The reform will not impact on the level of funding intended to support unpaid carers in future financial years.

In 2025/26, health and wellbeing boards were asked what the primary objective of each scheme was. In England, £222,515,273 was allocated to schemes with the primary objective of supporting unpaid carers. Primary objectives were not requested in previous years for comparison.

Health and wellbeing boards are also asked to record information on scheme types. The most appropriate scheme type in 2025/26 was support to carers, including unpaid carers, which has a planned spend of £201,223,000. In previous years, the most appropriate scheme type was carers services. The following table shows the total planned spend on carers services for 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25:

There are no sub types for planned spend on unpaid family carers or short breaks. In 2022/23, £86,394,455, or 55%, of the total planned spend on carers services was spent on the sub type respite.

Information on scheme types for carers broken down by health and wellbeing board has been published and is available for the year 2025/26 and for the years 2023 to 2025, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/better-care-fund-2025-26-planning-data/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/better-care-fund-2023-to-2025-planning-data/

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan and the 2025/26 Better Care Fund policy framework, we will reform the Better Care Fund from financial year 2026/27. An announcement with further detail on this reform will be made in due course. The reform will not impact on the level of funding intended to support unpaid carers in future financial years.

In 2025/26, health and wellbeing boards were asked what the primary objective of each scheme was. In England, £222,515,273 was allocated to schemes with the primary objective of supporting unpaid carers. Primary objectives were not requested in previous years for comparison.

Health and wellbeing boards are also asked to record information on scheme types. The most appropriate scheme type in 2025/26 was support to carers, including unpaid carers, which has a planned spend of £201,223,000. In previous years, the most appropriate scheme type was carers services. The following table shows the total planned spend on carers services for 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25:

There are no sub types for planned spend on unpaid family carers or short breaks. In 2022/23, £86,394,455, or 55%, of the total planned spend on carers services was spent on the sub type respite.

Information on scheme types for carers broken down by health and wellbeing board has been published and is available for the year 2025/26 and for the years 2023 to 2025, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/better-care-fund-2025-26-planning-data/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/better-care-fund-2023-to-2025-planning-data/

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan and the 2025/26 Better Care Fund policy framework, we will reform the Better Care Fund from financial year 2026/27. An announcement with further detail on this reform will be made in due course. The reform will not impact on the level of funding intended to support unpaid carers in future financial years.

In 2025/26, health and wellbeing boards were asked what the primary objective of each scheme was. In England, £222,515,273 was allocated to schemes with the primary objective of supporting unpaid carers. Primary objectives were not requested in previous years for comparison.

Health and wellbeing boards are also asked to record information on scheme types. The most appropriate scheme type in 2025/26 was support to carers, including unpaid carers, which has a planned spend of £201,223,000. In previous years, the most appropriate scheme type was carers services. The following table shows the total planned spend on carers services for 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25:

There are no sub types for planned spend on unpaid family carers or short breaks. In 2022/23, £86,394,455, or 55%, of the total planned spend on carers services was spent on the sub type respite.

Information on scheme types for carers broken down by health and wellbeing board has been published and is available for the year 2025/26 and for the years 2023 to 2025, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/better-care-fund-2025-26-planning-data/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/better-care-fund-2023-to-2025-planning-data/

The Department funds independent research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). This project is funded through the NIHR Policy Research Programme.

The research undertaken in 2023/24 was a development phase, which is the preparatory stage for a larger research project, with findings available at the following link:

https://www.lse.ac.uk/cpec/assets/documents/CPEC-Briefing-Note-2-Support-for-unpaid-carers.pdf

The second phase of the evaluation is ongoing. Findings from the second phase will be made publicly available after research is completed in July 2028.

The publication of research is led by the research team and in line with NIHR commitments to the transparent and independent publication of high-quality research. The views expressed in research outputs are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department.

The Government is committed to supporting carers to balance unpaid care with paid work where this is feasible. Eligible carers may still receive benefits while working, allowing them to increase their overall income.

The information requested is currently not available. However, support provided by the department includes identifying skills gaps and referral to skills training, careers advice, job search support, volunteering opportunities, localised support and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry. Unemployed customers who require more intensive employment support can also be referred to the Restart programme or Connect to Work. DWP also provides information to help carers and potential unpaid carers make informed decisions about combining work and care through their JobHelp Care choices site.

The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out our ambition to reform Jobcentre Plus and create a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone, to access good, meaningful work, and support them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. The new Jobs and Careers Service will be universal to all - regardless of their barriers to work - and the principles of accessibility and inclusivity will be core to service design.

Unpaid carers play a vital role in our communities, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. We know that for the vast majority of people, care begins at home with their families. Many people wish to play a role in caring for their friends and family, and we recognise that for some this can be a significant commitment.  We are committed to supporting carers to balance unpaid care with paid work where this is feasible.

Whilst there is no formal impact assessment of the impact of supporting unpaid carers into employment on the economy, unpaid carers who claim DWP benefits and provide care for fewer than 35 hours a week receive personalised support through their Jobcentre Plus work coach to help them find work and their work expectation is tailored to fit caring responsibilities. DWP also provides information to help carers and potential unpaid carers make informed decisions about combining work and care through their JobHelp Care choices site.

Unpaid carers play a vital role in our communities, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. We know that for the vast majority of people, care begins at home with their families. Many people wish to play a role in caring for their friends and family, and we recognise that for some this can be a significant commitment. We are committed to supporting carers to balance unpaid care with paid work where this is feasible.

Customers providing care for fewer than 35 hours a week receive personalised support through their Jobcentre Plus work coach to help them find work and their work expectation is tailored to fit caring responsibilities. Support includes identifying skills gaps and referral to skills training, careers advice, job search support, volunteering opportunities and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry. Unemployed customers who require more intensive employment support can also be referred to the Restart programme. DWP also provides information to help carers and potential unpaid carers make informed decisions about combining work and care through their JobHelp Care choices site.

The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out our ambition to reform Jobcentre Plus and create a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone, to access good, meaningful work, and support them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. The new Jobs and Careers Service will be universal to all - regardless of their barriers to work - and the principles of accessibility and inclusivity will be core to service design.

The Government is committed to supporting carers to balance unpaid care with paid work where this is feasible. Eligible carers may still receive benefits while working, allowing them to increase their overall income.

Support includes identifying skills gaps and referral to skills training, careers advice, job search support, volunteering opportunities and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry. Unemployed customers who require more intensive employment support can also be referred to the Restart programme.

Customers providing care for fewer than 35 hours a week receive personalised support through their Jobcentre Plus work coach to help them find work and their work expectation is tailored to fit caring responsibilities.

For unpaid carers who are entitled to Carer’s Allowance, we have introduced the largest increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976. The earnings limit is now 16 hours work at National Living Wage levels and over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive Carer’s Allowance between 2025/26 and 2029/30.

DWP also provides information to help carers and potential unpaid carers make informed decisions about combining work and care through their JobHelp Care choices site.

The 10-Year Health Plan reaffirms our commitment to improve the lives of people drawing on care, unpaid carers, and the social care workforce through the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for the sector, as well as our commitment to the creation of a National Care Service, informed by Baroness Louise Casey’s independent commission into adult social care.

The commission will build national consensus on how to create a National Care Service and will produce tangible, pragmatic recommendations that make adult social care more productive and preventative, giving people who draw on care, and their families and carers, more power in the system.

In the meantime, to support unpaid carers, the Government has increased the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since the Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976, and the highest percentage increase since 2001. We are also committed to reviewing the implementation of Carer’s Leave and examining the benefits of introducing paid Carer’s Leave.

We will consider potential impacts of our reforms on people with all health conditions, including mental health conditions, as part of our wider consideration of responses to the consultation and as we develop our detailed proposals for change.

This includes any impacts on unpaid carers, who provide invaluable support to people with health conditions, are frail or disabled, and who this government is committed to supporting.

As we introduce changes to PIP eligibility, we are mindful of the potential impact on unpaid carers. The recently published Bill commits to providing a 13-week run-on for existing claimants who – at their next award review – are no longer eligible for PIP as a result of this change. This will include passporting to other entitlements such as Carers Allowance, allowing the carer a longer period of adjustment.

We are also taking action to improve Carer’s Allowance separate to the Green Paper. We have pegged the weekly Carer’s Allowance earnings limit to 16 hours’ work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. The Carer’s Allowance earnings limit increased to be £196 a week net earnings on 7 April 2025, compared to £151 in 24/25. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. Over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive Carer’s Allowance between 2025/26 and 2029/30 as a result.

We will also continue to work closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to further assess the impacts of reforms and to see how best health and care needs can continue to be met

We have committed to introduce a new requirement that, in addition to the existing eligibility criteria, claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. Our intention is that – subject to parliamentary approval – the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026.

This government is committed to supporting carers, who do one of the most valuable jobs in society, unpaid. As the Green Paper sets out, we will consider the impacts on benefits for unpaid carers as part of our wider considerations of responses to the consultation as we develop our detailed proposals for change. We are also consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement to Personal Independence Payment due to the reforms, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. Under the Care Act 2014, they are required to undertake Carer’s Assessments to support people caring for their family and friends who appear to have a need for support, and to meet their eligible needs upon request from them. For example, if eligible, this might include financial support, such as direct payments.

We have already taken action to support unpaid carers. From April 2025, we will increase the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This means carers can earn up to £10,000 a year whilst still retaining Carer's Allowance, which is approximately an additional £2,000 a year.

The Government also recognises the challenges facing the adult social care system. That is why the Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.

The commission will start a national conversation about what working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support.