Main content

Carers Allowance and HMRC helpline

What are carers rights as the government recoups more than a Β£250m in carers allowance it says was overpaid? And, HMRC customers kept on hold for 798 years according to report.

Money Box can reveal that the government is recouping more than Β£250m pounds from over 100,000 carers who it says broke the earnings rule and should have lost their carer's allowance. The numbers came from a Parliamentary Question this week asked by the chair of the work and pensions select committee, Twice as many women as men are being chased for these overpayments.

We hear from a carer who has around Β£5000 worth of debt as well as finding out more about rights for carers affected.

The Department for Work and Pensions told us, β€œThe total amount of Carer’s Allowance overpayments includes historical debts which the department is seeking to recover. In comparison, Carer’s Allowance expenditure is forecast to be Β£4.2 billion this year alone.”

β€œCarers across the UK are unsung heroes who make a huge difference to someone else’s life, and we have increased Carer's Allowance by almost Β£1,500 since 2010.”

Also on the programme, a report by spending watchdog the National Audit Office has revealed callers to HMRC helplines were on hold for a total of 789 years in 2022/23.

Are we saving enough for our retirement? Pensions and investment mutual Royal London gives Money Box exclusive figures.

And how do you spend a Β£50 note? We get to the bottom of what shops are allowed to accept.

Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sandra Hardial
Researcher: Jo Krasner
Editor: Sarah Rogers

Available now

25 minutes

Last on

Sun 19 May 2024 21:00

Broadcasts

  • Sat 18 May 2024 12:04
  • Sun 19 May 2024 21:00

The Death of Retirement

The Death of Retirement

Money Box explores what retirement might look like in the future,

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

Podcast