Campaigners decry slow progress in repaying victims of carer’s allowance crisis

Only 1.04% of estimated 230,900 cases reviewed in first five months of £75m three-year scheme

Campaigners have urged Andy Burnham to step in after it emerged just a handful of the tens of thousands of unpaid carers who unknowingly racked up huge debts when welfare officials unlawfully changed benefits guidance have been repaid.

The first official update on the carers allowance reassessment exercise launched by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in April confirms that progress in cancelling wrongful overpayments has started slowly.