Together with Carers UK and more than 50 organisations from across the country, Kingston Carers’ Network has joined the Carer Poverty Coalition in writing to the Government ahead of the Autumn Budget, calling for urgent action to resolve the ongoing issue of Carer’s Allowance overpayments.

While we welcome the Government’s decision to commission the Independent Review of Carer’s Allowance, led by Liz Sayce OBE, unpaid carers continue to face financial hardship and anxiety caused by systemic failures within the benefits system. Overpayment issues have left many carers struggling with debts that could have been avoided through clearer guidance, better communication, and more effective DWP processes.

In this joint open letter, we are calling on the Government to ensure the Independent Review delivers three vital outcomes:

• Clear, transparent information so carers can make informed decisions about work and earnings

• Reformed DWP processes to prevent overpayments caused by administrative failings

• The writing off of overpayment debts where carers were not at fault or were affected by systemic errors

We are urging the Government to use the Autumn Budget to invest in delivering all three outcomes without delay. After years of avoidable hardship, this is a crucial opportunity to show that carers are valued, fix a broken system, and deliver justice for unpaid carers who have borne the cost of these failings for far too long.

👉 Read our open letter to the Government here

We are currently looking for people to fill two amazing roles at KCN - a Communications and Engagement Officer, and a Young Carers' Project (YCP) Manager. Please do circulate these great opportunities to join the KCN Team among your friends and networks. Further details can be found here: https://www.kingstoncarers.org.uk/who-we-are/job-opportunities/