Carers in the UK: have you been threatened with prosecution for benefit fraud?

Tens of thousands of unpaid carers looking after disabled, frail or ill relatives are being forced to repay huge sums to the government and threatened with criminal prosecution after unwittingly breaching earnings rules by just a few pounds a week.

People who claim the £81.90-a-week carer’s allowance for looking after loved ones while working part-time are being forced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to pay back money that has been erroneously overpaid to them, in some cases running to more than £20,000, or risk going to prison.

We’re interested to hear from carers in the UK who have been affected by this issue. Have you been receiving carer’s allowance and been investigated for benefit fraud, and if so, what was the outcome of this, and how has this affected you and your family?