The Department of Social Protection disclosed that over 320 alleged identity theft cases were submitted for examination by welfare inspectors during the SAFE registration process, which confirms a person’s identity to facilitate access to public services. Following this procedure, the individual is granted a Public Services Card (PSC) for identity verification when utilising government services. Expectedly, by 2023 end, the SAFE registration process would have detected around 325 probable identity theft cases, with 41 of these falling in 2023.
The state’s audit of over 630,000 social benefit applications saved €526 million. However, it was revealed that there had been welfare overpayments totalling approximately €115 million, of which nearly €88 million were repaid last year.
The Department of Social Protection consists of several investigation teams, which reviewed more than half a million welfare claims last year. This scrutiny allowed savings of €526 million, whilst outstanding overpayments of €115 million were identified. Legal action was considered for about 430 cases of welfare benefits last year.
Social welfare inspectors are assigned under present laws to probe applications for means-tested income support programmes and ensure compliance with Pay Related Social Insurance, including employment categorisation. In 2023, over 91,000 investigations were carried out across all schemes by the welfare inspectors, resulting in savings of €66.1 million.
A distinct unit, augmented by An Garda Síochána officers, manages cases suspected of fraud, focusing on supporting intricate investigations. This squad of specialist inspectors conducted over 16,200 investigations last year, leading to reported savings of more than €62.9 million by year’s end.
The Employment Status Investigation Unit, which is recognised as a third investigative agency, is made up of a team of 18 investigators. Their main role is to look into the employment categorisation of workers, making sure that they are properly identified as either employed or self-employed, depending on the nature of their contracts with their respective employers.
This unit gets information and enquiries from clients, workers, employers, and the Revenue Commissioners Office. In the previous year, this third investigative body carried out reviews on over 330 fresh employers and held interviews with above 1,000 single workers.