Penalties for unpaid carers in benefits scandal must be halted, says Ed Davey

Lib Dem leader urges suspension of fines imposed on hundreds of thousands who fell foul of discredited rules

Penalties imposed on thousands of unpaid carers who fall foul of the discredited carer's allowance benefit rules should be suspended until the government has fixed the system, the Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, has said.

A Guardian investigation last year revealed hundreds of thousands of unpaid carers were landed with huge debts - and in some cases prosecuted for fraud - after being inadvertently trapped by chronic failures in the benefit's design and administration.