AQO 620/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 06/06/2024
Answered On Date: 18/06/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities for an update on the actions taken by his Department to reduce the number of recipients of Carer's Allowance referred to the debt repayment branch due to a breach in weekly earnings.

Answer:

I recognise the important role that unpaid carers play within Northern Ireland for our communities and for the people they care for.

My Department continues to use a number of methods to assist with the early identification of recoverable Carers Allowance overpayments, including those caused by excess earnings.

These include checks using His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs information on income on new claims and when any change of circumstances is reported to quickly identify a potential overpayment.

My officials also conduct a monthly check where earnings regularly fluctuate, and an annual review on all self-employed cases.

In addition, officials are engaging with the Department for Work and Pensions to secure access to the Verification of Earnings and Pensions system which provides an alert when a person’s earnings breach the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold.

Finally, officials are planning a programme of stakeholder engagement and a refresh of customer messaging to ensure that Carer’s Allowance customers understand the importance of reporting changes promptly, the type of changes that can impact a person’s entitlement to Carer’s Allowance; and are aware of the methods in place for quickly and efficiently reporting changes.