UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Department for Work and Pensions allegedly prevented a whistleblower from giving evidence in an inquiry into Carer’s Allowance overpayments.
The DWP is accused of preventing a whistleblower who has repeatedly raised red flags about carer’s allowance from providing testimony to an independent investigation into the controversial benefit.
Did DWP silence whistleblowers on carer’s allowance?
A senior DWP employee was instructed by a staff member that revealing their understanding of the inner workings of a system criticized for its mistreatment of unpaid carers was deemed inappropriate for the review.
As reported by the Guardian, when they approached the DWP last month, presenting proof that officials had denied requests to submit to the review, the DWP insisted there was no “general prohibition,” and it welcomed contributions from “all parties.”
What are the latest figures on unpaid carers’ overpayment debts?
New data show that over 134,500 unpaid carers are repaying over £251 million in overpayments after breaching the “cliff-edge” earning limit rules.
A part-time carer who earns just £1 over the £151 limit for 52 weeks would owe £4,258.80 in repayments, or 52 times the £81.90 weekly allowance, rather than the £52 anticipated.
What did DWP say about staff contributions to the review?
DWP said its staff, including La Rocca, will now be urged to submit evidence. A representative stated,
“We have always been clear that staff members can contribute to the review, and we have already reached out to invite staff to share their insight.”
The department stated that the purpose of the review is to gather input from all relevant parties to get to the root of the issue and propose solutions to support carers. It explained that the views of individuals and stakeholders will play a major role in the process of drawing conclusions and developing recommendations.
Why did the Public and Commercial Services Union criticize the DWP?
Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), accused the DWP of blocking frontline staff from providing evidence.
Ms Heathcote stated,
“It made no sense at all to stop our members at DWP giving evidence to the review. These are the very people the review should be hearing from.”
She added,
“They are the workers delivering the services and have the evidence the review needs to hear. Stifling their testimony looked like they had something to hide.”
What did Liz Sayce say about DWP staff contributions to the carer’s allowance review?
Liz Sayce, the chair of the carer’s allowance independent review and a disability policy expert, expressed her desire for DWP employees to share their insights. She stated,
“I’m really keen to hear from everybody who has evidence to give evidence. I want the review to get to the bottom of what happened.”
La Rocca was blocked by senior DWP members from contributing, highlighting civil service regulations that prevent civil servants from giving testimony.
The PCS argued that the guidelines applied to parliamentary select committees rather than independent inquiries, a position later verified by the DWP press office.
When were issues with carers’ benefits first highlighted?
In 2018, La Rocca, a civil servant in the carer’s allowance unit, revealed problems with the long-standing benefit after years of raising internal concerns that DWP leaders ignored. He took his complaints and claims to MPs and the National Audit Office.
After Mr Rocca’s revelation, a formal investigation was launched, and a 2019 cross-party MPs’ report strongly condemned the DWP’s handling of carer’s allowance. While MPs praised his actions, he was dismissed a year later by the DWP, even though permanent secretary Peter Schofield had assured him of protection.
La Rocca was returned to the DWP in 2021, taking charge of a new position within the organization following support from prominent figures like Stephen Timms, who was the work and pensions select committee head at the time and is currently overseeing carer’s allowance as the DWP minister.
When did the government launch the carer’s allowance review?
Last October, the government initiated an independent review of Carer’s Allowance overpayments, following reports that thousands of families were burdened with repaying significant amounts, which led many into financial hardship.
The inquiry will focus on the DWP’s failure to act on warnings about carers breaching earnings regulations, which resulted in overpayments of thousands of pounds.
The Liberal Democrats have urged the Labour government to forgive the majority of the repayments.