My Right Honourable Friend, the Minister of State (Minister for Social Security and Disability) (The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP) has made the following Written Statement.

The Government has today launched a Call for Evidence on the modernisation and reform of Carer’s Allowance. This is available on GOV.UK and accessible...

My Right Honourable Friend, the Minister of State (Minister for Social Security and Disability) (The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP) has made the following Written Statement.

The Government has today launched a Call for Evidence on the modernisation and reform of Carer’s Allowance. This is available on GOV.UK and accessible...

The Government has today launched a Call for Evidence on the modernisation and reform of Carer’s Allowance. This is available on GOV.UK and accessible format versions will be available on request.

Modernising for the future

Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and has not kept pace with changes in how people balance...

The Government has today launched a Call for Evidence on the modernisation and reform of Carer’s Allowance. This is available on GOV.UK and accessible format versions will be available on request.

Modernising for the future

Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and has not kept pace with changes in how people balance...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claimants had their award reduced through the earnings taper in each of the last five years; and how many claimants experienced monthly reductions of (a) less than £100, (b) £100 to £249, (c) £250 to £499...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claimants had their award reduced through the earnings taper in each of the last five years; and how many claimants experienced monthly reductions of (a) less than £100, (b) £100 to £249, (c) £250 to £499...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 125945 on Universal Credit, what data his Department holds on the relationship between hours worked and reductions in Universal Credit awards through the earnings taper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 125945 on Universal Credit, what data his Department holds on the relationship between hours worked and reductions in Universal Credit awards through the earnings taper.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of household income rules within Universal Credit on individuals without independent access to financial resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of household income rules within Universal Credit on individuals without independent access to financial resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many clearances for Carer's Allowance claims have been made involving carers' earnings being averaged since 3 September 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many clearances for Carer's Allowance claims have been made involving carers' earnings being averaged since 3 September 2025.

Motion that this House has considered the matter of Carer's Allowance overpayments. Motion lapsed.

Motion that this House has considered the matter of Carer's Allowance overpayments. Motion lapsed.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the matter of Carer’s Allowance overpayments.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger. I thank Members for joining me here in Westminster Hall. I have committed my career to securing better care and support for older people and their...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the matter of Carer’s Allowance overpayments.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger. I thank Members for joining me here in Westminster Hall. I have committed my career to securing better care and support for older people and their...

I commend the hon. Lady for bringing this subject forward. Does she not agree that the amount of money the Government have saved from the unpaid labour of carers is astronomical, and that unless the Department can prove that there was a deliberate overclaim, discretion must be available? These people,...

I commend the hon. Lady for bringing this subject forward. Does she not agree that the amount of money the Government have saved from the unpaid labour of carers is astronomical, and that unless the Department can prove that there was a deliberate overclaim, discretion must be available? These people,...

I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman that the impact of the overpayments on carers is terrible, and I am going to share the story of someone who was affected. I am sure others have heard similar shocking stories. As many as one in five unpaid carers who claim carer’s...

I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman that the impact of the overpayments on carers is terrible, and I am going to share the story of someone who was affected. I am sure others have heard similar shocking stories. As many as one in five unpaid carers who claim carer’s...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. She rightly highlights the important contribution that carers make to our country and the savings of £184 billion a year. The carer’s allowance scandal that this Government have had to deal with, which has taken place over a number of...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. She rightly highlights the important contribution that carers make to our country and the savings of £184 billion a year. The carer’s allowance scandal that this Government have had to deal with, which has taken place over a number of...

I am a member of the Public Accounts Committee, and we have requested that the DWP reports every six months on its progress on implementing the Sayce review. As a member of that Committee, I will certainly be keeping a close eye on progress.

My final point is about the culture...

I am a member of the Public Accounts Committee, and we have requested that the DWP reports every six months on its progress on implementing the Sayce review. As a member of that Committee, I will certainly be keeping a close eye on progress.

My final point is about the culture...

I am delighted to serve under your chairmanship this morning, Sir Roger. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Anna Dixon) on securing this extremely timely debate, which is a welcome opportunity to set out some of the work that the Government have been doing in response to...

I am delighted to serve under your chairmanship this morning, Sir Roger. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Anna Dixon) on securing this extremely timely debate, which is a welcome opportunity to set out some of the work that the Government have been doing in response to...

I had understood that we were also looking into opportunities to alert carers of potentially having breached the earnings limit. Is there anything in place to help communicate information from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs or the DWP to carers?

I had understood that we were also looking into opportunities to alert carers of potentially having breached the earnings limit. Is there anything in place to help communicate information from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs or the DWP to carers?

My hon. Friend makes a very good point. I will come on to that, because there is some progress in that area.

As my hon. Friend said, having made the change to the earnings limit, we commissioned the independent review led by Liz Sayce, the former chief executive of Disability Rights...

My hon. Friend makes a very good point. I will come on to that, because there is some progress in that area.

As my hon. Friend said, having made the change to the earnings limit, we commissioned the independent review led by Liz Sayce, the former chief executive of Disability Rights...

I draw the Minister’s attention to a point about reassessment made in yesterday’s Guardian:

“the government has admitted its existing ‘business as usual’ overpayment recovery policies will be maintained while a full overhaul of the benefit is completed, in effect ensuring that carer’s allowance penalties will continue to be imposed.”

Can the...

I draw the Minister’s attention to a point about reassessment made in yesterday’s Guardian:

“the government has admitted its existing ‘business as usual’ overpayment recovery policies will be maintained while a full overhaul of the benefit is completed, in effect ensuring that carer’s allowance penalties will continue to be imposed.”

Can the...

Let me come to that point in a moment. I saw the article that my hon. Friend refers to. It is an important point, and I will address it in a couple of minutes.

My hon. Friends have quite rightly raised questions about accountability for the review’s delivery. We have appointed...

Let me come to that point in a moment. I saw the article that my hon. Friend refers to. It is an important point, and I will address it in a couple of minutes.

My hon. Friends have quite rightly raised questions about accountability for the review’s delivery. We have appointed...

I. Benefit and pension rates 2026/2027 - revised [Further update: replaces DEP2025-0796 and DEP 2026-0015]. 14p. II. Letter dated 26/02/2026 from Stephen Timms MP to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.

I. Benefit and pension rates 2026/2027 - revised [Further update: replaces DEP2025-0796 and DEP 2026-0015]. 14p. II. Letter dated 26/02/2026 from Stephen Timms MP to the Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.

I. Secretary of State determination under Regulation 5 of the Universal Credit (Surpluses and Self-Employed Losses)(Digital Service) Amendment Regulations 2015. 1p. II. Letter dated 20/01/2026 from Stephen Timms MP to Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.

I. Secretary of State determination under Regulation 5 of the Universal Credit (Surpluses and Self-Employed Losses)(Digital Service) Amendment Regulations 2015. 1p. II. Letter dated 20/01/2026 from Stephen Timms MP to Deposited Papers Clerk regarding a document for deposit in the House libraries. 1p.