Kate Garraway Questions Why Ministers Ignored Warnings on Unpaid Carers

It has been revealed that ministers were warned three years ago that unpaid carers were being unfairly treated and unjustly forced to repay huge sums for minor benefit breaches.
Kate Garraway asks why Ministers didn't heed the warnings as unpaid carers are struggling to make repayments.
Broadcast on 17/05/24
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[@blink93221]

Carers and the person that is disabled are treated as criminals by this government but MPs mates that actually scammed tax payers money are treated as heroes. How these ministers sleep at night is beyond me. Absolutely disgusting

[@SMGAPR8]

Absolutely Spot on, a lot to sort out, Systemic Bums on seats.

[@PhyzzFizz]

they sleep because they know you will do nothing about it

[@lindapayne1595]

I don't think any carers are looked after by any Government. Not by this one, and they weren't under Blair, won't be under the next Government, so why the whining now.

[@mycatspethooman5590]

And now they're picking on the disabled, outrageous

[@Billy67]

Is it correct that carers allowance is deducted from the person who is being cared for? If that is correct? then the DWP should return the money that was deducted from their benefits.

[@naomi5495]

It costs the state around £86k per year to provide full time care for a disabled person when carers give up or die due to undue pressure and lack of respite. Carers hols up this country - they save us £163 billion per year, yet they are treated with no dignity.

[@Darren-pq5oc]

It's time care wasn't the tax payers responsibility, why should others pay

[@sammymillinchip8456]

It's true I feel like a non person, I'm worthless in society's eyes in fact I've become so isolated looking after my son hardly anyone knows I exist even. All I do is take care of him, I cant work, I rarely get a break and I'm now quite poorly. No one cares, no one actually cares 😢

[@Darren-pq5oc]

@@sammymillinchip8456 people used to care until they asked for help and didn't get it, but they are told they should help others, the uk has told a lot of people to get stuffed and now those people are telling the uk to get stuffed

[@user-ol3xe5fz4u]

care in this country would breakdown without unpaid carers!!!!

[@orraman5427]

I challenge Victoria Atkins and Mel Stride to try to get a care worker to look after one of their loved ones for £81.90 a week.

[@cloudyskies1323]

That’s a days pay. Absurd to think that anyone can survive in good standing from this allowance.

[@pks15032]

Basic cleaner is £85 an hour.

[@Mike-bh4bh]

It's not even 200 pounds a month on universal credit!!!! Shame on UC

[@eveelliot2109]

WARNING - Being a carer you may loose your home and any inheritance.

[@michaelcoles7588]

I know it’s shocking

[@tillyt4054]

How ?

[@cecycan]

How?

[@andromedaone3640]

The government shouldn't be so hard to people on Carers Allowance, we have an extremely hard time. They should up it by an extra £200 a week and this government, they can't be trusted with anything for that matter makes me sick to the back teeth.

[@amandanelhams6198]

After 13 very stressful years of caring for my disabled son, i became so ill, my physical and mental health went downhill. That was in 2016. Now in 2024 i am no longer able to stand for very long without pain and rely heavily on my husband who has taken over a lot of the physical care of my son plus helping me and his elderly and frail parents. He will end up like me at some point because he is under so much stress. We would love to get out of debt but every time something breaks and need replacing in the home, it just adds to the debt.

[@kelvingriffiths6017]

Im getting there. 15 years yesterday. I know the health problems you speak of too.

[@user-ez9nl6fg4b]

Why did this report not mention the pittance (£81.90) carers get paid for providing 35 hours a week. Plus they are not allowed to earn over £151. How do you expect someone to live on £233 a week. So not only do the have to provide 35 hours of care, then have to work another 12 hours. The system is shameful and disgusting. These carers get no thanks and very little assistance.

[@politics392]

Get the conservatives out

[@eveelliot2109]

If your considering being a carer DON'T. you will receive zero support. Your health and finances will suffer dramatically. You'll probably end up in debt. Worst case scenario, you may suffer a heart attack, then get demanding DWP notice demanding £10k overpayment back. You will be smeared a criminal & DWP will 😅 immediate repayment.

[@sammymillinchip8456]

This statement is so true sadly.

[@MamanPotentielleTLubangu]

AND THEY ARE ASKING CARER WHO ARE CARING ABOUT THEIR RELATIVES TO HAVE THE POWER OF ATTORNEY ON THE MONEY THEY RECEIVED!! IN RETURN YOU NEED TO PAY MORE THAN 1000 YEARLY TO THEM TO COVER THE POWER OF ATTORNEY WHY IS THAT? THEY ARE GIVING IN THE RIGHT HAND AND THEY ARE TAKING IT IN THE LEFT HAND!! SO SHAME 😳

[@123boat]

Government again picking on the poor and vulnerable 🤬

[@shirleyn546]

These carers have saved this country ££s. This is terrible, all that money given out during Covid to very rich employers, and to Tory buddies🤬.

[@Mucklegipe]

The government was it not responsible for removing people with special needs from institutions that were responsible for their welfare, care in the community. The burden is now transferred to carers who it seems are penalised in this way! Why?

[@sumof8952]

who's that minister who recently slandered an academic on her twitter account was found guilty in court with costs of around £90,000 but the government is picking up the bill on her behalf ? She must earn over a £100,000 as a minister but a carer has to pay out of pocket but she gets a free pass ! Is that the rule now a minister can personally defame someone but the government takes responsibility ! ABSOLUTELY SICKING .

[@user-no1ru2wq7e]

We seem to be giving rises to people who are already on high wages and ignoring those who are willing to help save the the health service millions .

[@lamestreammedia3154]

Like the tax dod ging Ka te garra way that doesn't want to pay her career bill?

[@clemmum]

I am entitled to carers allowance most weeks, but am too terrified of making a mistake to claim it at all. And what about those of us who care for more than one family member with serious illness or disability? Trying to do that, earn enough to live on and fund their needs is crippling.

[@welsh-3286]

dwp could check every two months for overpayments instead of leaving it 18 months too check for overpayments

[@timelwell7002]

Or - how's about this for an idea - carers allowance should NOT be means tested, AND sould be far more generous. The money to fund this could easily be gained from an increase in taxation to large and multinational corporations.

[@welsh-3286]

@@timelwell7002 how about this stop moaning get on with yoir job

[@timelwell7002]

@@welsh-3286 I'm not moaning. I was voicing sympathy for carers (you know, that thing where you identify with peope who are going through a hard time). I used to be a carer myself, although I never claimed carers' allowance. I am now semi retired - I'm in my late 60s. From your response it sounds as though you are unable or unwilling to sympathise will other people. You may come to think differently if you ever need to be cared for yourself in the future.

[@athenarose9084]

What about the actual unpaid carers who have been refused DLA for their children because hidden disabilities are ignored. You are not officially a carer unless your child recieves at least mrc so those who are wrongly refused awards are completely stuck - can't work because of caring responsibilities but have been refused access to the benefits they are entitled to.

[@timelwell7002]

This issue HAS to be viewed in the wider context of growing poverty and inequality within the UK. Successive UK Governments (both Tory and Labour) have failed to address the severe challenges faced by carers, just as they have both failed to address issues of the housing crisis, and the rising cost of living crisis where wages are not keeping up with inflation/increases in mortgages, rents, energy bills, etc. After WW2 Clem Attlee's Labour ushered in an era where there was proper taxation on large and multinational companies, which formed the bulk of the money raised to pay for the NHS, State Education, the building of Council Houses, etc. Both Labour and Tory governments adhered to the Mixed Economy model which created a greater degree of care and equality than had been seen in prior decades. But when Thatcher came to power in 1979, this all changed, from the Mixed Economy system to the Neoliberal (extreme Free Market) economic system where taxation on large and multinational companies was greatly reduced, and public services and utilities, along with Councils, were given far less support from the state. We have now reached a point where inequality is the worst it has been since the Napoleonic wars, and where 4.3 Million children are now in poverty - all thanks to Neoliberalism. Wht the UK needs - desperately - is a government prepared to tackle these issues and properly funding the solutions. In order for the government to raise the sums required necessitates a SIGNIFICANT rise in the levels of taxation levied on large and multinational corporations such as: * Shell * BP * Novo Nordisk * GlaxoSmithKlein * Apple * Amazon * Microsoft * Pfiezer * SERCO * Thames Water * Southern Water * British Gas * SSE Sadly, both Reeves and Starmer have signalled that they have ZERO intention of doing any such thing. It therefore seems unlikely that carers are going to get the help they so desperately need, any time soon.

[@samanthasmith1885]

My son is my carer and he can't get paid to look after me

[@deanbarnett8538]

I worked as an unpaid carer for my mother as well as working nights.( Two years alone!) It was exhausting! I made contact with a social worker and she brought in a team of carers who were paid. Some would just make my mother a cup of tea then go!? I would still have to do some shopping for her and sometimes clean my mother up when she got into a mess. Because she was very frail and almost blind. My mother became too frail to remain at her home ( rented) And had to go into a care home. Where she spent the last year of her life.

[@kathyullah1619]

Thank You ,they should be paid and also higher weekly money ut is very hard being a carer and saved a lot of DWP money in not having to pay 24hrs care with nurses,Help more with carers .

[@danielw.2442]

Tories 14 years in power Tories still have a majority Tories doing nothing critical in parliament But all want the 'opposition' to magically solve it?

[@oh-hello]

Someone has to hope it will change. 😢

[@Sonya_Makepeace]

Don't think Labour will be any better. They are all controlled by the same demonic entity.

[@MCPDeveloper]

No foreign power hates UK citizens as much as their own government. It is perfectly easy to implement a rule stating that where the DWP doesn't warn a claimant despite having the information no repayment is due. I am not liable personally. It is just obviously fair.

[@mycatspethooman5590]

Carers allowance is £81.90 per week whether you're caring for one person or multiple people, its a disgraceful amount when you consider how much these people are saving the state.

[@johnbell2823]

The majority of these people will be on Universal Credit which deducts the full amount of carers allowance from the benefit, so if they were not entitled to carers then they would need UC recalculating thus no loss to the taxpayer and no need to pay back, and as the change in earnings will be reported to UC aka DWP then there should not be a legal claim against the carers.

[@SheeplessShepherd]

Absolutely disgusting when you see how corrupt the people at the top are. Stamping on the vulnerable !

[@phil2003ashleigh]

I urge every unpaid carer in our country to come together on our next bank holiday and bring the person you are caring for to your local A&E, give their names and addresses in and tell them you cannot and will not do it anymore. Leave them your telephone number, NOK details and walk away. Tell them it’s carer breakdown and refuse to answer any questions. See how long it takes for the government to fall. The person you are caring for must be on board with this and the NHS cannot refuse to take you. Even if one tenth of you undertake this there will be chaos, an emergency meeting of parliament called and watch the current system collapse and I guarantee you that you will be victorious. Good luck to you all. Be brave, be strong and go for it as the people of Britain will back you to the hilt.

[@Stuboy]

None of it matters to celebrities or MP 's till it happens to them

[@ricban1950]

That's less than Sunak's wife has avoided in tax while living here with her husband and children by pretending to be NON DOM. Let the carers off and pursue Sunak and his wife for hundreds of millions of pounds.

[@poppy1779]

Big time! I fully agree.

[@poppy1779]

When the carer becomes unwell to a certain point, they can then become a danger to the sick person.

[@anilasharma2371]

Why doesn't the government official live on £86 , pay all the bills and expenses, find out first hand , some of these ill patients have paid taxes into the system , don't just sit in the offices and make unworkable policies? It ruins peoples lives.

[@donnabennett2546]

And when you get to pension age your carers allowance stops So you then do it for nothing but your older and probably less able to do it, so what happens to your loved one then? We are still caring.

[@MamanPotentielleTLubangu]

WE NEED TO DO PETITION FOR THIS MATTER PLEASE 🙏

[@maryjanewarren4369]

My husband is my 24/7 carer he is amazing. We have 4x grown-up children together, and sadly, I was born with a disease that didn't show until too late. I am in a chair now, but my husband is my world without him. I'd have local caregivers, and that is not the same as the man I promised sickness and health till death us do part but he is now having to live the sickness part I'm 46 he is 47 he needs help but we can't afford to eat and pay all the bills let alone have staff in on top of all this I have back surgery in a few months and also Mrs Kate has a huge platform to use to help and I thank her for the help next parliamentarians I'd love to sit an chat with one any side red blue orange green the NHS is on its knees and needs help out ASAP we need that ❤️ 💙

[@Sidb26]

I care for my sister and it feels like I have done something wrong

[@sammymillinchip8456]

I know how you feel. It's like our lives are so unimportant compared to everyone else's!

[@sammymillinchip8456]

No one cares about us unpaid carers. My healths deteriorating fast and im exhausted. I love my kids with all my heart. I have 2 disabled kids, now grown up and have been a mum/carer for 26 years, mostly as a single parent. Ill drop dead before anyone notices how exhausted i am, and its not for lack of trying to tell people. Id have loved the chance to work, my future looks very bleak, but apart from the exhaustion and stress theres no one to help me if i wanted to go back to work and it probably wouldnt be worth my while if i did. Life can be very hard but i keep going cos my son needs me and i want to look after him but bottom line is im struggling on every level and have no idea how long i can keep this up. I wish the government cared as much about us as they do about illegal immigrants.

[@MarjorieOley]

I am a pensioner I look after my son I cannot get paid carers allowance

[@ericajohnson3504]

Its got nothing to do with working from home. You use a work PC or Laptop, plugged into the same system as you would be in the office. They will be able to work in exactly the same way. It us the system, rules and regulations that are wrong. The Government has to take responsibility for that.

[@CaringMind]

Interesting interview, thanks for sharing

[@Johnconno]

After 7 years I'm as confused as my disabled Brother.🧠

[@theofungi6562]

Does it change depending on who we vote for? Lots of words and distractions of blame, but does anything change?

[@kelvingriffiths6017]

I just got hit with this BS myself. £400 a month i have to pay back cause of their mistake. Scumbags end of.

[@samanthapage2892]

The system is disgraceful…people and their families have paid into this country and are left in poverty. Which is a far cry than those who illegally come to our country and are given everything. Those who have no care for our people or our country. Our country is broken.

[@stoicsceptic8420]

You can elevate yourself to having an income equivalent to 23% of legal minimum wage for a 45 hour week ,35 hours care, 10 hours work at minimum wage .

[@joprocter4573]

Breaking point happens years before climbing up walls.

[@Scoobyoneknobi]

Carry on caring, stop claiming carers allowance, make sure your councils are responsible for caring, carers need more money to look after relatives, the whole system needs changing, unless those who should provide care start doing it because of the laws they have to follow, we will be taken advantage of,

[@lilianandersonmayne4968]

They treat carers with contemt if it wasn't for them most of them wouldn't be alive

[@SheeplessShepherd]

Wow, you think they care

[@dianneyoung7322]

Also when you reach pension age but are still caring as I do for my 40 year old daughter they stop your carers allowance as it exceeds what you are allowed. So I straight away lost a portion of my pension.

[@StevenParrisWard]

Help us Kate. Please.

[@darrengibbons2259]

We are all on your side love

[@Billy67]

Is it correct that carers allowance is deducted from the person who is being cared for? If that is correct? Then the DWP should return the money that was deducted from their benefits.

[@kellykreqeli8924]

People who care for people in this country are the least looked after

[@Truth1561]

I care for two wonderful adult children with disabilities ( autism abd Multiple sclerosis ) and get nothing because both have had their PIP taken away from them . Apparentky they are both suddenly cured of these life-long worsening conditions and are ehtitled to zero. As am I. Their 'reports' were completely fictucious, but i couidn't afford the £750 to have their recordings professionally transcribed. We went to court last time, it took over a year and akthough my son's pip was temorariky restored i was refused back oayment if carers allowance and the carer element on universal credit. Im now on a pension and even worse off!

[@taffytown1]

Disgusting just brutal

[@andrzejczakow8606]

No one is mentioning the funding for the person requiring care, it is the overall amount coming into the house that needs to be looked at, for example motobility allowance

[@kaytoday666]

That is based on the needs of the disabled person. Carers need to eat, buy clothing etc too. How would carers needs be met?

[@anilasharma2371]

When it comes to a relative to care ? Why Government take away from the carer allowance? How may unpaid carers are out doing their best under the most difficult circumstances? How much does it cost the government when there are 6-8 careers allocated to an individual person ? These carers are not qualified or speak English? These carers are recruited by untrained agencies , they are paid regardless whether they do their jobs properly or not? Whether they turn up or not? These individuals comes into homes to care for one patient ? Who is vetting them? A carers are not supposed to have a life of their own? Some carers are on low income, not enough to sustain themselves in reality? If you earn a penny extra? You are penalised. Having to deal with the stigma attached to being on low paid jobs and being a carer at the same time? I have witnessed graduate being carering for terminally ill person without claiming? What's the government doing to solve this issue?

[@amandajc2996]

They just like to rely on people doing it out of love, which people end up doing. I know it would not happen, but if every carer handed the people they are looking after over to the state.. the government then will have to something.

[@user-js3rg9sj1k]

1998..I WAS ON £3.50p an hour.

[@user-js3rg9sj1k]

I was lucky other carers were on £1.70p an our 1998...no minimum.wage then...indian owned nursing home.

[@joprocter4573]

Carer is not a job according to dwp.but if you earn ought elsewhere its illegal over ?£100?

[@EricaFiore]

my friend is disabled room is is a life time prison sentence pian level is like being tortured every day . Government would love to get rid of us permeant. That's is how this my friend feels Disabled money is a joke.

[@johnhall3827]

good point these phone contact's systems need to be removed from every system . guverment and industrial it is a hard task just to contact . there is only one reason for this system to be used by the time you have rung three times . pressed 5 or 6 different choices hitting the wrong one then getting it right . you wait for the answer from a person and you get a machine or it go's dead .

[@brucefraser8583]

If well of and good earnings then do not need the allowance

[@johnwilson6779]

CORRUPTION RULES

[@paulreader7353]

Two pound an hour wow

[@MarjorieStoker-oj8fh]

It's because government can

[@Scoobyoneknobi]

As cruel as it seems, every one should stop caring for their loved ones, and go to social services, then court to force councils to go bust,

[@kaytoday666]

Absolutely not. It would be irresponsible to stop caring for those who cannot care for themselves. Vulnerable people would be irreversibly harmed, or even die.

[@CM-vt9lz]

I don't trust the council to touch my daughter

[@doyoumind.atall.stopspying5572]

For the goverment to ask questions about carers is wrong

[@greeney76]

Where has covid gone ???

[@johnhall3827]

i find this one sided let us look at this from the other side corer's are paid . but there is another thing as well how was taking care of this person when she wasn't ? it is sad but in the end you are paid to do a job if you can afford to work . if you can pay for a corer and work way do tax payer's have to help and you not pay the tax? we need to look into this on a basis scheme you get different amounts depending on the situation it needs to be fair but not a blanket payment like every guverment hand out .

[@catman2629]

Be nice if Kate paid her tax bill

[@grime_garage]

Jacki Smith the war criminal.

[@bitpal2399]

Mean

[@angelsackson]

No one actually cares about this woman, weird isn’t it?

[@deankinealy4201]

So fake this woman

[@mohamedmagdy4015]

يجب إعادة تقييم الأعمال بشكل دوري كل سنه بناء على التغييرات الاقتصاديه والاجتماعيه

[@SimonSmith-yd6tt]

when a human being is considered as a business unit rather than a life then you know your values are broken

[@lw1zfog]

what a shameless grifter she is 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@Darren-pq5oc]

They know the rules and break them

[@missknowsitall8705]

Big YAWNZ

[@kieronhomer3444]

Where were you kate when thousands got sacked for not wanting the covid jab ?????

[@davidhowe277]

thats the job to care for relations,just do it

[@CM-vt9lz]

And how you supposed to support yourself if you can't get a job?????

[@leswhiting8943]

Funny how garraway can't stop going on about money for carers.........but never mentioned it..... before her husband became a cabbage.............

[@sandimoo]

Well of course! Her experience has opened her eyes quite understandably!

[@pauloates5972]

Offensive comment,

[@missknowsitall8705]

I can't stand this woman

[@lamestreammedia3154]

She also owes millions in tax. And doesn't want to pay her carer bill even though she is a millionaire tax Dodger. She is now voice of the people. The socialist millionaire that cries about paying her share. An expert on benefits from a millionaire.

[@lamestreammedia3154]

Tax Dodg er. Multiple companies wound up owing millions. She is not one of the people. Far from it.

[@pepelepew2690]

Oh look, its the derek grifter. ⚱️