Carer’s Allowance: Repayments

Baroness Watkins of Tavistock Excerpts

Monday 29th July 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend Lady Andrews for her sympathetic and direct comments on this issue. I know that she has been passionately involved in this area for many years. I was delighted to hear that the first meeting of officials and Ministers involves the carers themselves, which is important. We have to listen to the lived experience of people who are going through this whole change. For some people, it is dramatic and sudden—it is not something they anticipated—and we have to make sure that their voices are absolutely at the centre of the review, so that we can make informed decisions about where things have been failing and how we can improve them in the future.

[Baroness Watkins of Tavistock (CB)]

My Lords, I welcome the noble Baroness to her ministerial role. Is she aware that flexible working is often the only work that carers can undertake, and therefore managing this cliffhanger one month, when they are probably entitled to the full allowance the following month, is just too complicated? Will the Government consider stopping the clock on any further fines and penalties during the period of this review?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for her comments. As I have said all the way through, it is absolutely fundamental that we treat this issue with fairness for everybody involved. She raises the particularly interesting area of expenses for those who go out to work, and how we can weave them in to make sure that people do not suffer financially. There are so many issues to bring to bear with this and I look forward to hearing the outcome of the first discussions today so that can have an informed debate in this place to take matters forward.