Written Answers. - Social Welfare Fraud.
Joe Walsh
Question:
473
Mr. J. Walsh
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
if his attention has been drawn to a newspaper article (details supplied) which claimed that about 70 per cent of single mothers claiming lone parent's allowances have cohabiting partners and are thus disqualified, a high proportion of those claiming the lone parent's allowance as deserted spouses are not deserted and that almost two-thirds of those claiming living alone allowance are not in fact living alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[1540/97]
In the article in question a variety of alleged abuses impinging on the level of public expenditure are described, some of which relate to expenditure by my Department. Naturally, I would share the concerns in general about any such abuses and I will do all within my power to deal with those which are within the remit of my Department.
Controls against the types of social welfare abuse mentioned are exercised by the Department both at the initial claim stage and at subsequent review. Explanatory literature with the application forms sets out the statutory conditions and disqualifications for the information of claimants. They are required to answer questions and make a written declaration as to their fulfilment of the relevant conditions at new claim stage.
Claims in payment are also subject to ongoing review. The Department has an extensive programme of control activities across the whole range of its schemes and services. The programme is carefully monitored and the various measures are continuously refined to ensure that they remain effective. New approaches and measures are identified and adopted on an ongoing basis. This control programme includes specific targeted reviews on the various qualifying conditions for lone parents and for pensioners. This programme yielded estimated savings of £141 million across all schemes in 1996, including £15.2 million savings on deserted wife's benefit and allowance and on lone parent's allowance.
In relation to cohabitation, the Department follows up any situations where this is indicated. In 1996, a total of 27,200 new claims from deserted wives, lone parents and widow(er)s were received out of which just 164 were rejected on grounds of cohabitation following investigation. Claims in these categories reviewed during 1996 because of indications of potential non-entitlement resulted in over 1,000 clients having their claims terminated by the Department due to cohabitation. A further 900 claims were terminated on review during 1996 due to marriage or remarriage.
The question of proving desertion has always been a contentious and difficult area. The new one parent family payment which commenced on 2 January 1997 no longer seeks to prove desertion as a qualifying condition but instead provides income support on a needs basis for separated people with dependent children, as well as for those who are unmarried or widowed parents.
There are 100,000 social welfare clients in receipt of a living alone allowance, the vast majority of whom are elderly or widowed people. The rules allow pensioners living in specific housing arrangements, such as granny flats or certain types of sheltered housing complexes, to qualify for the allowance.
Under the control programme, over 8,000 old age and widowed pension claims were reviewed by the Department in 1996, as part of a general reassessment of their continuing entitlement to pension. These reviews normally encompass a reassessment of household composition in order to verify ongoing eligibility for various free scheme supplements and the living alone allowance where payable. These specific reviews resulted in cessation of living alone allowance in just 335 cases during the year. Overall, nearly 3,200 living alone allowances were terminated during 1996 for a wide variety of reasons, including routine review and change of pensioner circumstances.
The results achieved through the control programme came from a combination of data matching, investigation and information received from members of the public. Every suspect case, regardless of how it is identified, is fully investigated and entitlement is revised or confirmed as appropriate. I am determined to eliminate fraud and abuse of the social welfare system and will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that payments are made only to those who are legally entitled to them.
