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Reposted

We Care Campaign @wecarecampaign.bsky.social · May 24

Fantastic long read by @patrickjbutler.bsky.social and @joshhalliday.bsky.social on the #CarersAllowanceOverpayment Scandal

If you know nothing about this scandal , or what to know more - this is the article to read ⬇️

www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

‘Something has gone very wrong’: how the carers scandal was exposed

A Guardian investigation revealed how hundreds of thousands of people were plunged into debt – and some criminalised – for looking after their loved ones

www.theguardian.com

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Michael Goodier @michaelgoodier.bsky.social · May 20

Truly deserved award for @patrickjbutler.bsky.social and @joshhalliday.bsky.social on their Carer's Allowance Scandal work - you can see the impact and importance their reporting has had here:

www.theguardian.com/society/seri...

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Frances Ryan @francesryan.bsky.social · May 21

I can’t say how happy I am to see this! @patrickjbutler.bsky.social and @joshhalliday.bsky.social have highlighted such an important issue and worked tirelessly on others for years. Huge congratulations to my colleagues.

Press Gazette @pressgazette.co.uk · May 21

Patrick Butler and Josh Halliday of The Guardian have won the Paul Foot Award for their "enraging and heartbreaking" investigation into the carer's allowance scandal www.private-eye.co.uk/paul-foot-aw...

The Paul Foot Award | Private Eye

The Paul Foot Award is an award given for investigative or campaigning journalism, set up in memory of revered journalist Paul Foot, who died in 2004.

www.private-eye.co.uk

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 16

Delighted that @joshhalliday.bsky.social and me
have made the Paul Foot Award/Private Eye long list for our investigation into the carer's allowance scandal (and congratulations to our fellow nominees) www.private-eye.co.uk/paul-foot-aw...

The Paul Foot Award | Private Eye

The Paul Foot Award is an award given for investigative or campaigning journalism, set up in memory of revered journalist Paul Foot, who died in 2004.

www.private-eye.co.uk

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 16

Good @theguardian.com leader on fixing the carer's allowance scandal: positive progress, but more to do www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Guardian view on unpaid carers: the scandal of their allowances is far from over | Editorial

Editorial: New rules for checking overpayments are a milestone. But deep concerns remain about the DWP’s approach

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 15

My @theguardian.com story: DWP to overhaul carer’s allowance checks in wake of overpayment scandal: www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

DWP to overhaul carer’s allowance checks after overpayment scandal

Department previously investigated only 50% of earnings limit alerts, meaning many carers fell into debt

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 9

"In a society that... demands perfection from the mess of modern existence, I will share a secret: it is entirely possible to be happy and fulfilled and disabled or sick, and to proudly carve out your own path." From the new book by @francesryan.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

‘I’m still sick. I’m still disabled. But I’m proud of my body’: Frances Ryan’s manifesto for disabled women

Women with disabilities are the biggest minority group in the world, but are still shut out of society. In an extract from her new book, the writer reveals how that is changing – and what more needs t...

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Apr 8

My @theguardian.com story: Ill and disabled people will be made ‘invisible’ by UK benefit cuts, say experts www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Ill and disabled people will be made ‘invisible’ by UK benefit cuts, say experts

Those who lose benefit payments will find it difficult to access care and support services, says Policy in Practice

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 31

Revealed: nearly 20 councils in England ‘at risk of insolvency’ due to Send costs, as overspend debt set to grow by £2bn over the next 12 months theguardian.com/education/20... by me, Pamela Duncan, Matt Pearce, and Raphael Boyd.

Nearly 20 councils in England ‘at risk of insolvency’ due to Send costs

Exclusive: Councils say multibillion-pound debts caused by years of overspends on special educational needs support

theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 25

“If the government goes ahead with these cuts, then new care homes are going to have to be available,”: @francesryan.bsky.social interviews people about the calamitous knock on effects of Pip disability benefit benefit cuts www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

‘I can’t sleep, I’m so scared’: disabled people face benefit cuts domino effect

Three people tell how knock-on impact of losing Pip on carer’s allowance and other benefits will affect their families

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 25

Powerful piece by @joshhalliday.bsky.social (and one with extra force in the light of the Pip cuts): "Nobody found him in time": how neglect and stress led to the deaths of a full-time carer and his son www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...

‘Nobody found him in time’: how neglect and stress led to the deaths of a full-time carer and his son

David Lodge died after being found next to his father and full-time carer Peter’s body. His sister Keri believes the strain of caring and lack of government support contributed to their deaths

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 19

"A Labour government, really?": my @theguardian.com analysis on yesterday's disability benefit cuts announcement www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Liz Kendall struggles to sell ‘immoral and devastating’ disability benefits cut

Disability charities call foul as welfare secretary buries austerity-like news under earnest talk of reform

www.theguardian.com

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Richard Partington @rjpartington.bsky.social · Mar 3

Ministers plan major changes to Send education in England - a picture of a wholly broken system in a hugely important area.

In-depth reporting on the ticking £5bn timebomb debt amassed by English councils by @patrickjbutler.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Ministers plan major changes to Send education in England

White paper being prepared as councils hope for relief from huge deficits in special educational needs budgets

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 3

My Guardian analysis: “It’s what keeps me awake at night” - from underfunded demand to alleged "profiteering" by private specialist schools, how England's Send policy has pushed councils to the edge of bankruptcy. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

‘Ticking timebomb’: how Send spending could bankrupt English councils

Guardian analysis lays bare a neglected system that is ruinously expensive, and often fails children and parents

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Mar 3

My Guardian story: Ministers plan major changes to Send education in England as Guardian analysis shows scale of local council deficits theguardian.com/education/20... w/
Raphael Boyd and Matthew Pearce

Ministers plan major changes to Send education in England

White paper being prepared as councils hope for relief from huge deficits in special educational needs budgets

theguardian.com

patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 25

@tanialt.bsky.social Hi Tania, I wondered if we could speak - I'm a reporter at the Guardian, and it's about SEND policy. Patrick ([email protected])

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Frances Ryan @francesryan.bsky.social · Feb 25

Some good news. Ministers scrap controversial DWP program allowing landlords to tap into tenants’ benefits, @patrickjbutler.bsky.social reports.

“I’m determined to right the wrongs that have persisted in the benefits system for too long,” says Liz Kendall. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Ministers scrap DWP program allowing landlords to tap into tenants’ benefits

Exclusive: Liz Kendall confirms government will no longer back controversial ‘computer says yes’ system

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 25

My Guardian story: Ministers to scrap controversial 'computer says yes' DWP program allowing landlords to deduct cash from tenants’ benefits without their consent www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Ministers scrap DWP program allowing landlords to tap into tenants’ benefits

Exclusive: Liz Kendall confirms government will no longer back controversial ‘computer says yes’ system

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 19

Tell us: have you received a Macmillan Cancer Support hardship grant? Do you give them out? How will the charity's decision to cut the iconic payments affect cancer patients?https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/18/tell-us-have-you-received-a-macmillan-cancer-support-hardship-grant

patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 14

In case you missed it: Macmillan Cancer Support sacks a quarter of staff and scraps hardship scheme for financially struggling patients as it battles financial pressures www.theguardian.com/society/2025... By @andrewgregory.com and me

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 13

Macmillan Cancer Support sacks a quarter of staff and scraps hardship scheme for financially struggling patients as it battles financial pressures www.theguardian.com/society/2025... By @andrewgregory.com and me

Macmillan Cancer Support cuts quarter of staff and scraps hardship scheme

Exclusive: Charity says it has made drastic changes to safeguard future as Guardian finds it spent £100m more than it raised over last six years

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 12

My Guardian story: Stunning victory for unpaid carer Andrea Tucker as court overturns DWP demand for £4,600 carer's allowance overpayment www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Unpaid carer wins overpayment penalty case against DWP

Andrea Tucker has overturned the demand for £4,600 in carer’s allowance overpayments for alleged breaches in benefit rules

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 10

"As a mental health clinician, I cannot emphasise enough how many relapses have been triggered by the relentless media drumbeat about 'cracking down' on benefits": good Guardian letters on incapacity benefit cuts. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Benefits system should protect, not punish, vulnerable people | Letters

Letters: Labour’s focus on crackdowns and fraudsters lodges in the psyche, feeding precarity and self-doubt, says Dr Jay Watts. Plus a letter from Stephanie O’Brien

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 10

Labour must seize the moment to show child poverty matters in push for growth www.theguardian.com/business/202... Great summary of the choices and challenges facing Labour, by @guardianheather.bsky.social

Labour must seize the moment to show child poverty matters in push for growth | Heather Stewart

Scrapping two-child benefit cap is among levers Rachel Reeves could pull – yet chancellor remains silent on ‘shameful’ levels of poverty

www.theguardian.com

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patrickjbutler.bsky.social @patrickjbutler.bsky.social · Feb 10

My Guardian story: "It’s like the Post Office scandal – it takes the little people to stand up”: unpaid carer to challenge DWP in court over carer's allowance injustice www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Unpaid carer to challenge DWP allowance overpayment penalty in court

‘It takes the little people to stand up,’ says Andrea Tucker, who was told to repay £4,600 after caring for mother for 15 years

www.theguardian.com

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