Report shows fall in welfare overpayments in cases of suspected fraud

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar launching a campaign cracking down on welfare fraud in 2017. 

The number of welfare overpayments made due to suspected fraud cases fell to its lowest level in five years in 2019, according to a new report that also shows a drop in the number of suspected fraud cases referred for prosecution and that 'official error' is responsible for a growing number of overpayments.

The first annual report for the Department of Social Protection's Compliance & Anti-Fraud Strategy 2019–2023 found that overpayments of benefit and assistance on individual cases amounted to €116.62m over the course of the year, an annual increase of 8%, with repayments of over €82m made in respect of overpayments raised during 2019 and previous years.