In June 2017 he resigned from his last formal role in the church after a finding that he had covered up child sex abuse allegations against the bishop Peter Ball. In 2018 the UK Child Sex Abuse Report found Carey had committed serious breaches of duty in covering up child sex abuse within the Church. In February 2018 Carey was granted "permission to officiate" by Steven Croft, the bishop of Oxford, allowing him to preach and preside at churches in the diocese. This was revoked on 17 June 2020 as the Church of England said that there was new evidence linking Carey to a review into abuse committed by John Smyth.