Thousands of unpaid carers to face DWP repayment demands during overhaul Ministers admit carer’s allowance penalties will continue while review of more than 200,000 cases is carried out

Thousands of unpaid carers to face DWP repayment demands during overhaul - the latest www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

We've signed this Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions as part of the Carers Poverty Coalition.

On Sunday Carers Allowance will be 50.

It's time Carers Allowance and carers benefits were fully reviewed.

The latest episode of "Care Fully Considered" is out.

Listen to Bhulla Beghal and Carla Mellor talk about film making and poetry writing as well as ways we can all tell our own stories.

For the full episode listen here buff.ly/Jg9IPkD

Empath power Quickly and easily listen to Care fully considered for free!

🎙️ Check out our latest episode of Care Fully Considered - Empath Power
We chat to Bhulla Beghal a film maker and Carla Mellor, a poet.

You can listen on all your usual podcast platforms

player.captivate.fm/episode/9237...

Always a highlight of the campaigning year, reading the SMK Report out today.

Even though it’s The Toughest Year yet for campaigners there’s always hope ⬇️

🚨 New SMK Report Out Today: The Toughest Year Yet for Campaigners 🚨

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE for more on what the challenges are and what success looks like: smk.org.uk/what-we-do/champion/camp...

craftivism of a shower, saying 'our heating and water bills keep rising'

craftivism of a smart meter, saying 'prices rise, temperatures fall'

crafivism saying 'no cash for care, let alone coffee and cake'

craftivism saying 'reduced to this' with a reduced sticker, and another saying 'the weekly shop shouldn't be a luxury'

We were delighted to bring our campaign to Westminster yesterday, as we hosted our relaunch reception in Parliament.

Supporters from across the country made their presence felt through their fantastic #craftivism, organised by coalition partner @wecarecampaign.bsky.social

And a heartfelt thank you to all of you who made this possible, through stitching or telling your stories.

It’s a real privilege to know you all,

Katy

Carers are already doing everything they can.

It’s time decision makers did too.

Thank you to @costoflivingaction.bsky.social for getting behind our Stitched Up project, and including our carers and to the MPs and Peers who attended and took the time to look and listen. 7/7

Katy and Cas

Cas talking to MP

Kaysey

Sophie and Paul who gave a lived experience performance speech with Laura

Cost of Living isn’t separate from care.

It is care.

And until carers are properly supported, we will keep showing up with thread, truth and lived experience. 6/7

Katy talking to Lord Walker about his embroidered piece

Katy and Lord Richard Walker with his geography themed piece

Campaigner talking about cost of living

I gave one piece to @icelandrichard.bsky.social the new Cost of Loving Champion who attended, gave a speech and really listened to those with lived experience in the room. 5/7

Craftivism stitched onto hankies

On increased cost of food and inflation hankies

What’s for tea and a make do and mend hankies

Temperatures Rise

People pause and ask questions, taking it all in.

That’s how change starts by real seeing what’s in front of you. 4/7

Baroness Lister and Katy looking at the pieces of Craftivism displayed

Katy and Conor talking to Carla Denyer MP

Carla Denyer MP looking at some of the Craftivism

There’s something so powerful about bringing Craftivism into spaces like Westminster.

It’s quiet.
It makes people stop

And when they stop they read
And when they read - they understand

3/7

Katy standing in front of all of the hankies in parliament

Each piece carried a real story

About choosing between heating and eating
About stretched finances, energy and time
And being valued for our care 2/7

Yesterday we took Cost of Living Craftivism Stitched Up project to Westminster with @costoflivingaction.bsky.social

Not a loud protest.
But with stitched messages from unpaid carers living with this every day

🧵1/7

MPs threaten fresh inquiry into carers allowance scandal amid redress delays Unpaid carers say they remain ‘in limbo’ as DWP continues to pursue discredited repayment bills MPs have threatened to launch a fresh inquiry into the handling of the carers allowance scandal after unpaid carers spoke of being “stuck in limbo” by the government’s response. The warning came amid concerns over delays in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans to offer redress to tens of thousands of carers who were unfairly issued with overpayment bills based on discredited official guidance. Continue reading...

MPs threaten fresh inquiry into carers allowance scandal amid redress delays

Unpaid carers ordered to repay benefits despite DWP knowing rules were unlawful Officials sent out repayment letters to about 1,400 people relying on discredited guidance that had been scrapped

Unpaid carers ordered to repay benefits despite DWP knowing rules were unlawful www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

“Let me be absolutely clear: I will not tolerate any company exploiting the current crisis to make excess profits at consumers’ expense”

The Chancellor is absolutely right to say this, and she must stick to her word.

t.co/GICCKxCG9M

'The cost of living crisis is still Britain’s defining political challenge' - LabourList The cost of living remains the public’s top concern – and voters across parties want bold action to bring bills down and living standards up.

@costoflivingaction.bsky.social  @osheaconor.bsky.social has written a piece for Labour List talking about the Cost of Living Action Campaign and what the government needs to be doing. 

Cost of Living Action - A Real Plan for an Affordable Britain Cost of Living Action is a coalition of civil society groups who are calling on the government to tackle the cost of living crisis by guaranteeing affordable energy, boosting incomes, and raising taxe...

Find out more about the campaign, our asks and our 38 partner organisations here: costoflivingaction.org.uk

@econchange.bsky.social

@neweconomics.bsky.social

@taxjusticeuk.bsky.social

@osheaconor.bsky.social

We’re proud to be a partner of @costoflivingaction.bsky.social

🛒 You can read more about the campaign here ⬇️

Hanky with a shower cubicle and wash basin in a bathroom with the words Our heating and water bills keep rising.

Craftivism isn't about being good at sewing. 

It's about slowing down, telling your truth and being counted. 

Don't forget we have a series of online workshops. Come, chat and stitch. 

www.eventbrite.com/cc/cost-of-living-action...

MPs call on welfare bosses to speed up redress over carer’s allowance scandal Public accounts committee says ‘systemic issues’ at DWP led to carers being wrongly forced to repay overpayments

MPs call on welfare bosses to speed up redress over carer’s allowance scandal www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Caring doesn't pause when the bills go up.

February is going to be about the cost of living through the lens of caring. What it looks like when you're already running on empty.

DWP permanent secretary to step down after carer’s allowance scandal Peter Schofield tells staff he will leave the department for personal reasons

@patrickjbutler.bsky.social latest on Carer Allowance Overpayment Scandal.

Sir Peter Schofield steps down www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Cost of Living Action x We Care Campaign Stitch Up A series of workshops at different times and dates so you can join other supporters of our Cost of Living Action x We Care craftivism campaign. Come to any one, content always the same. It's a relaxin...

If anyone has one of our craftivism kits and wants to meet up online to chat, stitch and learn more about the coalition behind the campaign, join us for one of our workshops.

www.eventbrite.com/cc/cost-of-l...

DWP chief accused of overseeing ‘culture of complacency’ that led to carer’s allowance scandal Commons committee chair says DWP repeatedly failed to prioritise the vulnerable and was slow to fix errors

@patrickjbutler.bsky.social latest on the Carers Allowance Overpayment scandal.

DWP chief accused of overseeing ‘culture of complacency’ that led to carer’s allowance scandal www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Across countries & cultures, unpaid carers describe the same reality: care becomes a constant part of daily life often w/ little guidance or support.

These shared experiences were discussed on the #CareFullyConsidered podcast by @wecarecampaign.bsky.social featuring our Dev. Director Ruth Patil 💜🧡

Cost of Living Action / We Care Craftivism Sign Up Form I just took action with @WeAreCarers: Cost of Living Action / We Care Craftivism Sign Up Form. Take action here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/cost-of-living-action-we-care-craftivism-sign-up-form

The cost of living isn’t abstract.
It’s cold rooms. Empty fridges. Bills you can’t open.

We’re stitching these realities together and taking them to Westminster this winter. 🧵

#StitchedUp #CostOfLiving

Sign up for your kit here:

Into campaigning? @smkcampaigners.bsky.social National Campaigning Awards are open until Feb. You can nominate below ⬇️

smk.org.uk/what-we-do/c...