Senior leaders at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have been accused of a serious error in judgment after a top official attempted to shift blame for the carer's allowance scandal onto the victims themselves. This comes despite an independent review concluding that "unacceptable" systemic failures within the DWP are the root cause of the crisis, which has left thousands with devastating debts.
Official Defies Review, Points Finger at Claimants
In an internal blogpost that has since been removed, Neil Couling, the DWP's director general of services, claimed that individual failings by carers were "at the heart" of the overpayment issues. He suggested that fluctuations in earnings, which breach complex benefit rules, were not properly reported by claimants.
This stance directly contradicts the findings of the government-commissioned Sayce review, led by disability rights expert Liz Sayce. Published last month, the review found that senior DWP leaders had failed for at least a decade to address known problems, despite repeated warnings from whistleblowers, auditors, and MPs. The report explicitly stated the crisis could not be blamed on carers.
A System Like a 'Faceless Machine'
The scandal, likened by some to the Post Office Horizon affair, revolves around carers unknowingly accruing overpayments due to outdated and confusing rules. The independent review revealed that some affected individuals felt such profound shame and distress that they contemplated suicide, describing the experience as being "at the whim of a faceless machine".
An investigation by the Guardian previously uncovered how unpaid carers were hit with draconian penalties of up to £20,000. Official figures show that between 2019 and 2025, roughly one in five claimants – about 180,000 people – ran up total debts of £300 million. During this period, 854 carers were convicted of fraud.
Outcry and Apologies
Charities and politicians have reacted with fury to Neil Couling's comments. Kirsty McHugh, chief executive of Carers Trust, called it a "really serious error of judgment," urging the DWP to stand by the independent report's findings. Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said he was "disgusted" and that the post showed some senior figures had "learned nothing."
In response to the Sayce review, the government has announced it will reassess overpayments from the past decade, estimating that 26,000 out of 200,000 cases may have debts reduced or cancelled. DWP Permanent Secretary Sir Peter Schofield, who six years ago refused to apologise for the failures, recently told MPs: "I am sorry for all of those who are affected by this, but I am going to sort it out."
A DWP spokesperson stated the department accepts the "vast majority" of the review's recommendations, acknowledging that confusing rules left carers facing unexpected debts. They outlined measures including extra staff, updated guidance, and clearer letters to claimants.
