The DWP’s punitive approach to benefit overpayments has caused unnecessary suffering The callous treatment of thousands of carer’s allowance claimants reflects appallingly on the priorities and leadership of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and throws doubt on its capacity to learn. Liz Sayce’s independent review of the overpayments scandal exposed by the Guardian makes it clear that this benefit, which is mostly claimed by older women, was frequently an afterthought for officials. While Labour has begun to make improvements, there is still no single senior civil servant with overall responsibility for solving problems that have been in…