senior civil servant Peter Schofield resigns

The Department for Work and Pensions’ most senior civil servant has resigned. Peter Schofield has faced furious criticism since the true scale of the carers’ allowance scandal was brought to light. However, the decision is said to be due to personal reasons, rather than taking responsibility for the DWP’s failures.

A catalogue of failures from the DWP

In November 2025, an independent review found that the scandal was in no way the carers’ fault. Instead, it placed the blame squarely at the feet of the DWP. The review said longstanding systemic issues within the department, unlawful internal guidance and poor design and communication were to blame.

The review found that many carers ended up in thousands of pounds of debt. Some also contemplated suicide due to the distress of being expected to pay back their overpayments.

You’d think, in light of the review, that the DWP would show a tiny bit of remorse. But another senior official in the department came under fire when he blamed carers for failing to report changes.

In an internal blog post, Neil Couling said:

Incidentally, what has been missed in all the [media] coverage is that this error (and hands up we made it and we will put it right) affects only a relatively small number of cases and wasn’t the cause of the original complaint. Because at the heart of the overpayment issues in CA is a failure to report changes of circumstances

This is despite the government taking responsibility. In a statement read by Baroness Sherlock, Stephen Timms said

The Review finds that some carers could not have known that they were building up overpayments because it was not clear how their earnings would affect their entitlement, and this lack of clarity was due to issues with operational guidance. The Government accepts this and we will act to put it right.

Schofield hauled before the committee

In January 2026, Schofield was forced to answer to the Work and Pensions committee for the department’s crimes, as well as Couling’s disgusting comments. Chair of the committee Debbie Abrahams asked him how the DWP could justify not making any changes and the department’s attitude towards carers.

His response was a masterclass in bluster, culminating in

We were making a difference

Schofield was also taken to task by disabled MP Steve Darling, who accused him of basically talking rubbish:

You’ve given me a lot of blancmange that I’m finding difficult to nail to the ceiling what clear evidence of management change is there and I’m concerned that you’re not able to give me any.

What a coincidence

Whilst neither the DWP or Schofield mentioned the carers allowance scandal in their statements, it feels like a pretty big coincidence

In a message to colleagues, Schofield said

My decision to leave the department is not one I have taken lightly. It has been an absolute privilege to serve, first as director general, finance and then as your permanent secretary.

He said one of his highlights was

the massive achievement of completing the rollout of Universal Credit for our working age customers

He continued that this

paved the way for our transformation journey – and our continued focus on doing things better for our customers and colleagues – providing support in better and more effective ways

I’m not sure I would class something that left thousands of vulnerable claimants at the mercy of cruel sanctions as a success, but then I’m not a DWP ghoul.

It’s also another absolutely huge coincidence that this was announced whilst the press is distracted by Keir Starmer’s premiership imploding.

Campaigners must keep the pressure on DWP

Schofield will remain in his role until July, which means there’s still plenty of time for him to be held accountable. His leaving also shouldn’t see the end of pressure on the government for justice for the victims of the carers’ scandal.

We need to fight harder than ever to ensure the department and his predecessor to take responsibility.

Featured image via the Canary