C&AG report: Department of Social Protection losing out because of a lack of medical assessors

The Department of Social Protection could be making weekly overpayments of almost €2m on illness benefits schemes and the invalidity pension.

The C&AG Annual Report chapter of ‘Regularity of Social Welfare Payments’ said there appeared to be little fraud and that the reason for overpayments of some benefits was due to people becoming medically ineligible — failing to meet the criteria for the payment because their condition improved.

However, while the C&AG cites a “lack of timely medical review” for much of the estimated overpayment of certain benefits, the annual report notes that the Department is struggling to hire additional medical assessors to carry out the work.