'It's like the Post Office scandal': Carer's Allowance crisis exposed
A quiet 61-year-old woman from Cheshire found herself sobbing in a criminal court dock, facing prison for allegedly claiming £17,000 in Carer's Allowance while caring for her dying mother. Vivienne Groom, who had never previously faced legal trouble, was prosecuted under legislation typically reserved for major drug dealers.
The Department for Work and Pensions told Groom she could be sent to prison, leaving her feeling suicidal. "I was absolutely petrified. I was in such a mess. I wouldn't have coped," she revealed. "I would've done myself in."
Despite judges recognising she was living an ordinary lifestyle and simply doing her best, Groom pleaded guilty without legal representation to end the ordeal. She was spared jail but forced to hand over her entire £16,000 inheritance from her mother Maud, who died aged 91.
Systemic failures affect hundreds of thousands
Groom's shocking case represents just one of hundreds of similar prosecutions against carers across the UK. Since 2019, hundreds of thousands of people have been ordered to repay approximately £350 million in total, according to Guardian investigations.
A landmark independent review led by Liz Sayce, former chief executive of Disability Rights UK, concluded that many cases involved honest mistakes rather than deliberate rule-breaking. The report, published on Tuesday, identified unclear rules and administrative failures at the DWP as primary causes.
Groom maintains she informed the DWP in 2015 that she no longer wanted to receive the £60 weekly allowance when her Co-op hours increased. She claims a call-handler said they would investigate and get back to her, but she heard nothing until 2023 when faced with fraud charges.
"It was just horrendous," Groom recalled. "They didn't want to listen at all."
Multiple victims share similar horror stories
Davina Ware from Bath was ordered to repay nearly £4,000 because she calculated her part-time council job earnings as monthly income rather than a four-week cycle. While caring for her husband Mike, who has advanced Parkinson's, the 68-year-old said the experience made her feel "completely worthless."
Ware will be paying off the debt until 2032, when she turns 75. She questions why carers aren't immediately alerted when they exceed weekly earnings limits, given the technology exists. Until recently, officials checked only about half of overpayment alerts, meaning tens of thousands unknowingly accumulated massive debts.
Guy and Oksana Shahar face a £10,180 fine after her earnings went slightly over the threshold while caring for their autistic 15-year-old son Daniel. Oksana was juggling zero-hours work at Sports Direct, a school meals assistant job, and caring responsibilities.
Their tribunal hearing was postponed in light of the imminent Sayce review, which could significantly impact criminal prosecutions and tribunal cases moving forward.
Shahar expressed concern that anything less than full apology, compensation, and ending all penalties would be disappointing. "It's an anxiety that's always with us, a cloud cast over everything we do," he said.
While victims welcome the review's findings, most remain sceptical about receiving official apologies, reimbursement, compensation, or having criminal convictions quashed. Groom summarised the sentiment many share: "It's like the Post Office scandal."
