Suspected social welfare fraud payments hit €29m in 2025, new figures reveal

New figures show the value of suspected social welfare overpayments increased significantly despite a drop in cases

The figures were provided by social protection minister Dara Calleary in response to a parliamentary question from Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central Ken O’Flynn. Picture: PA

People suspected of social welfare fraud received €29m in payments last year alone, new figures have revealed.

While the number of suspected fraud cases fell compared to 2024, the value of the overpayments increased by nearly €5m within 12 months.

The figures were provided by social protection minister Dara Calleary in response to a parliamentary question from Independent Ireland TD for Cork North-Central Ken O’Flynn.

Mr Calleary confirmed there were 5,909 suspected fraud cases relating to social protection payments in 2025, with overpayments valued at €29m.

In 2024, there were 6,007 cases, with overpayments valued at €24.3m.

The value of suspected fraudulent claims over the past two years has risen sharply compared to previous years.

There were 5,097 suspected cases in 2023, valued at €17.96m. This followed €19.6m in suspected overpayments in 2022, involving 5,597 cases, and €19m linked to 6,290 cases in 2021.

Mr Calleary noted that overpayments of social welfare entitlements can occur when claimants provide false or misleading information in their applications. He said errors can also arise from mistakes made either by applicants or by the Department of Social Protection itself.

“These cases arise where a deciding officer is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence that a person deliberately provided false or misleading information or wilfully concealed relevant information in relation to their entitlement,” he said.

“The Deputy will appreciate that there is a high evidential standard to be met in such cases.”

Mr Calleary also confirmed that, for means-tested social welfare payments, working while claiming benefits, payments issued to deceased people, and changes in financial circumstances are among the most common causes of overpayments.

He said the Department of Social Protection has a “range of verification processes in place to validate and verify the information provided by a customer”.

This includes data-matching with external bodies and agencies to “identify inconsistencies in information provided”.

There are also gardaí seconded to the department’s Special Investigation Unit, which works with law enforcement agencies in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and overseas.

“In addition, our data analytics team carry out risk assessments of individual records and develops analytic solutions to increase the detection rate of non-compliant claims,” the minister said.

“The Department does not use any external forensic document analysis service and does not have statistics in relation to forged document cases.”

As previously reported by the Irish Examiner, social welfare overpayments worth €25.6m made to deceased people were uncovered by the Department of Social Protection in 2025.

This was up from €24.5m in 2024, €23.9m in 2023, €17.5m in 2022, and €23.5m in 2021.

Of that total, almost €24.7m related to pension overpayments made to more than 1,500 pensioners who had died.