ARC England Director Samantha Leonard has responded to confirmation that the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Work and Pensions will step down in July 2026 amid continued scrutiny of the department’s handling of Carer’s Allowance.
Samantha said, “This Carer’s Allowance crisis has highlighted serious flaws in our welfare system design, including inadequate safeguards, poor communication and a failure to account for the real impact that this will have on thousands of unpaid carers. Many carers experienced financial distress as a result of systemic failure rather than personal error.
“Our members know that people within the learning disability and autism community will often have family carers. This will have caused untold damage to them and their loved ones.”
Sam also stresses that leadership change must be accompanied by institutional reform. “Accountability must extend beyond individual roles to address policy design, governance and decision-making processes.”
ARC England calls for safeguards to prevent disproportionate enforcement, improved transparency in benefit administration, engagement with carers and sector bodies, and clear timelines for debt review and redress.