MPs threaten fresh inquiry into carers allowance scandal amid redress delays

Unpaid carers say they remain ‘in limbo’ as DWP continues to pursue discredited repayment bills MPs have threatened to launch a fresh inquiry into the handling of the carers allowance scandal after unpaid carers spoke of being “stuck in limbo” by the government’s response. The warning came amid concerns over delays in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans to offer redress to tens of thousands of carers who were unfairly issued with overpayment bills based on discredited official guidance. Debbie Abrahams, the chair of the Commons work and pensions select committee, said MPs were actively considering opening a fresh investigation over what she called a “torrent of missteps” by the DWP in its response to the scandal. In a scathing letter to the social security minister Stephen Timms Abrahams raised issues over the culture of DWP management and questioned whether senior officials shared ministers’ commitment to address carer benefit injustices. She said the DWP’s failure to tackle the issue “with due care” would cause many to “conclude that [it] is not serious in its public commitment to do so, which is extremely damaging to the existing issues of trust with the department”. La