Another Covid reality for me today is how complicated the DWP system is and how information is not shared across department and HMRC when necessarily - especially in terms of child tax credits. I am in receipt of Carers Allowance for my 16 year old. I think I've informed all the departments that need to know - Carers Allowance Unit, ESA, my local council and HMRC , but I genuinely can't remember, so now have to trawl through my previous paper trails to double check and rectify the situation if I haven't. Meanwhile I am stressing in case I haven't informed them or informed them in time as there are possible penalties in terms of prosecution, financial penalties or being stripped of the benefit. If I haven't - it is an accidental oversight, because both I and my son have both been unwell, but I am scared to say anything in case I am punished even though it's the right thing to do. Obviously I will say something, but it's just so stressful in the meantime. I just wish the whole system of bureaucracy would been more user friendly and responsive to claimants so that you only have to input information once and it is shared across all departments.
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Covid Realities
is a collaboration between the Universities of
York and Birmingham, and
Child Poverty Action Group. The project has been funded by the Nuffield Foundation
but the views on this site are those of the project team and not necessarily the Foundation.
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