HomeJobsKey workers quit jobs due to DWP Carer's Allowance penalties

Key workers quit jobs due to DWP Carer’s Allowance penalties

Date:

Related stories

Europe’s 10 best and 10 worst cities named – full list

Europe is blessed with a number of stunning cities...

The European countries that are best and worst at speaking English

Since English is the most commonly spoken second language...

Best countries to visit in November for last-minute sunshine

Feeling the chill in the UK?The weather has taken...

‘Most beautiful’ seaside town in England is a top winter staycation spot

When you think of winter weekend getaways, the British...
spot_imgspot_img

Key workers are being pushed to “quit” their jobs to avoid financial penalties for breaking a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) rule. DWP Carer’s Allowance recipients, including those working in education, have been compelled to leave their roles.

A report by the charity Carers UK has highlighted that claimants are resigning from their positions, reducing their work hours, and declining pay increases due to the Carer’s Allowance ‘cliff edge’, which results in a benefit cut if earnings exceed the set limit.

Additionally, claimants are rejecting one-time cost of living payments, performance bonuses, and even volunteering free hours each month. Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, commented: “It is heartbreaking to hear of instances where thousands of pounds of debts have been accumulated. This has been going on for years and not enough has been done by government to fundamentally change the situation. It simply cannot continue.”

Sir Stephen Timms has taken on the role of minister responsible for this benefit. Mr Timms lauded the efforts of unpaid carers, stating that without their contribution in aiding vulnerable individuals, the UK would “grind to a halt”.

“We recognise the challenges they are facing and we are determined to provide unpaid carers with the support they deserve,” he remarked. He further mentioned: “Meeting organisations like Carers UK and individual carers and hearing their views and experiences is key to helping us to establish the facts and make informed decisions.”, reports Birmingham Live.

“With respect to overpayments of carer’s allowance, we are moving quickly to understand exactly what has gone wrong so we can set out our plan to put things right,” stated the new DWP boss Liz Kendall, expressing her concern that errors could still be occurring.

“If you go in your overdraft, your bank immediately tells you, we should be able to do that for these payments. I know people will be absolutely desperate about it. And I want to make sure we do everything to put it right,” she added.

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

spot_img