Editorial: The Guardian

• The system of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is punishing claimants for payment errors, but the rules are the issue, not the carers.
• In spite of promises to improve the system, DWP appears to have emphasized its punitive approach.
• The inflexible design of carer's allowance that does not decrease with increasing income is part of the problem.
• The lack of early warnings and the constant charging of penalties in addition to repayments worsens the situation.
• Bad practices towards the unpaid carers, an essential role in social assistance systems, are surprisingly shocking and disappointing.
• The weekly income limit of £151 is an international anomaly that should be replaced.
• The DWP should publish research on the human impact of overpayment errors.
• Long-standing issues with the carer's allowance seem symptomatic of the low status of unpaid care.

Conclusion: Sorting out problems with carer's allowance may not resolve all the issues, but it would be a good start to improving their treatment and recognition of their role, easing operations of social care.

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