Carers Allowance and HMRC helpline
Money Box can reveal that the government is recouping more than \xa3250m pounds from over 100,000 carers who it says broke the earnings rule and should have lost their carer's allowance. The numbers came from a Parliamentary Question this week asked by the chair of the work and pensions select committee, Twice as many women as men are being chased for these overpayments.
We hear from a carer who has around \xa35000 worth of debt as well as finding out more about rights for carers affected.
The Department for Work and Pensions told us, \u201cThe total amount of Carer\u2019s Allowance overpayments includes historical debts which the department is seeking to recover. In comparison, Carer\u2019s Allowance expenditure is forecast to be \xa34.2 billion this year alone.\u201d\n \n\u201cCarers across the UK are unsung heroes who make a huge difference to someone else\u2019s life, and we have increased Carer's Allowance by almost \xa31,500 since 2010.\u201d
Also on the programme, a report by spending watchdog the National Audit Office has revealed callers to HMRC helplines were on hold for a total of 789 years in 2022/23.
Are we saving enough for our retirement? Pensions and investment mutual Royal London gives Money Box exclusive figures.
And how do you spend a \xa350 note? We get to the bottom of what shops are allowed to accept.
Presenter: Paul Lewis\nReporters: Dan Whitworth and Sandra Hardial\nResearcher: Jo Krasner\nEditor: Sarah Rogers