A financial watchdog has found housing benefit fraud and error in Northern Ireland has almost doubled in a year.
The latest report from Northern Ireland’s Comptroller and Auditor General, Dorinnia Carville, examined central government accounts for 2023-24.
It found that the NI Housing Executive estimated a total of £21.1m of fraud and error for housing benefit expenditure – up from £12.7m in 2022-23.
Overpayments in benefit expenditure by the Department for Communities was estimated at £240m, up £66m from the previous year.
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A number of audits from earlier accounting periods were also certified, including that fraud and error in housing benefit rate relief expenditure from Land and Property Services was estimated at £3.6m in 2022-23, an increase from £3.4m the previous year.
The auditor said that while some improvement in tackling fraud and error had been noted in 2022-23, “this trend has not continued.”
Other common themes identified by the audit included some organisations spending more than was authorised by the Stormont Assembly.
The auditor expressed concerns about the quality of some accounts prepared for audit as well as weaknesses to protect organisations from errors, fraud and mismanagement.
Part of the problem, the report concluded, were wider challenges in recruiting and retaining enough staff with the relevant finance skills.
“The public sector here continues to face serious budgetary pressures,” Ms Carville said.
“In such a context, the role of public audit, and the work of my office in promoting transparency in how public money is spent, is more important than ever.
“I am pleased, once again, to report that the majority of the accounts I have audited are unqualified and accurately represent the financial position of the organisations that have prepared and submitted them.”
She urged departments and other bodies affected to take steps to address weaknesses “which ultimately ensure that public money is being spent appropriately.”
A Housing Executive spokesperson said benefit fraud and error equated to 4.5% of overall benefit expenditure.
“Whilst the Department for Communities (DfC) has responsibility for investigating benefit fraud and error, the Housing Executive remains committed to identifying, preventing, and addressing this within the Housing Benefit system,” they said.
“We work closely with the Department to protect the integrity of the benefit system and public funds.
“Our Housing Benefit teams complete annual fraud awareness training and make referrals to the Department’s Benefit Security Division for investigation.
“We also carry out a range of exercises to ensure that the correct level of Housing Benefit is being awarded to reduce the likelihood of overpayments.”
A Department for Communities spokesperson said: “It is estimated that loss to benefit fraud and error equates to 2.9% of overall benefit expenditure, an increase from 2.3% the previous year.
“The Department has a robust counter fraud and error strategy and undertakes a range of activities, from targeted interventions to criminal investigations for the most serious fraud and legal proceedings may be instigated when appropriate.
“The Department works to continually strengthen its capability and effectiveness in this area in order to protect the integrity of the benefit system and the public funds that it manages.”
