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“Unpaid Carer Cleared of £1,300 Penalty After Fraud Threat Following Benefit Overpayment”

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has decided to waive a £1,300 penalty for an unpaid carer who faced the threat of fraud prosecution due to an unintentional breach of benefit regulations. , who provides care for her disabled son and elderly mother, found herself in a difficult situation after accumulating a £2,600 overpayment in carer’s allowance. Jacques reported that she was given an ultimatum: either pay the penalty or risk arrest and a court appearance. Her case gained attention after being featured in the media, leading to the DWP's decision to cancel the penalty. She is among a significant number of individuals—approximately 134,500—who are currently repaying a total of £251 million in overpayments related to carer’s allowance.

Question 1: Who is Clemency Jacques and what situation did she face?

Clemency Jacques is an unpaid carer who looks after her disabled son and elderly mother. She faced a £1,300 penalty for inadvertently breaching benefit rules related to her carer’s allowance, which resulted in a £2,600 overpayment.

Question 2: What action did the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) take regarding Clemency Jacques' penalty?

The DWP waived the £1,300 penalty after her case was highlighted in the Guardian, following her threat of prosecution for fraud due to the overpayment.

Question 3: How many people are affected by carer’s allowance overpayments, according to the article?

According to the article, Clemency Jacques is one of 134,500 people who are repaying a total of £251 million in carer’s allowance overpayments.

Question 4: What were the potential consequences Clemency Jacques faced if she did not pay the penalty?

If Clemency Jacques did not pay the penalty, she risked police arrest and a court appearance due to the alleged fraud related to the overpayment of her carer’s allowance.