Millions of people across the country are currently claiming some form of social welfare payment.
But the Department of Social Protection has warned that all claimants must be vigilant when it comes to applying for their entitlements.
Officials have warned that they will always track down overpayments, and if it is determined that this overpayment was as a result of fraud, you could be in serious trouble.
A criminal prosecution is on the cards if the Department believes you made a fraudulent claim, and if found guilty you could face three years in prison or a large fine.
Here are the seven most common errors that result in social welfare fraud, according to Citizens Information:
- Concurrent working and claiming: Where a person claims a payment, such as Jobseeker's Benefit/Allowance or an illness payment, but takes up employment and does not notify the Department.
- Non-disclosure of means: Where a person claims a means-tested payment but does not fully disclose their means or sources of income. Note that If you or your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant are getting a means tested social welfare payment and save a portion of this payment each week, these savings as well as savings from most other sources will be taken into account as part of your means. It is important to notify the Department of these savings to avoid an overpayment.
- Multiple claiming or personation: Where a person makes a claim for more than one social welfare payment or by assuming and falsely using the identity and PPS Number of another person.
- Life events: Where a person continues to claim a payment to which he/she is no longer entitled such as a lone parent who marries or is cohabiting, or someone who continues to claim Carer’s Allowance where caring duties have ceased.
- Cohabitation: People may be living as a family unit and fail to notify this to the Department to qualify for higher rates of payments, or payments to which they may not be entitled.
- Social insurance: Where employers fail to maintain appropriate employment/wage records and where non-compliance or non-remittance of PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance) occurs.
- Non-residency in the State: Where a person claims a social welfare payment which requires residency, and he/she is no longer resident.
Meanwhile all social welfare recipients have also been advised that there will be some significant number of changes to payment dates throughout December.
Some payments will be handed out early this year to avoid any disruption caused by festive bank closures to ensure that people aren’t left short during the Christmas season.
Most temporary dates are just days away from the original in December, and things are due to return to normal the week of January 3 for most.
For Post Office payments the following changes will be made:
- Monday, December 27 - will be paid on Tuesday, December 21
- Tuesday, December 28 - will be paid on Wednesday, December 22
- Wednesday, December 29 - will be paid on Thursday, December 23
- Monday, Jan 3, 2022 - will be paid on Friday, December 31
For Bank payments these are the changes to expect:
- Monday, December 27 - will be paid on Friday, December 24
- Tuesday, December 28 - will be paid on Friday, December 24
- Wednesday, December 29 - will be paid on Friday, December 24
- Monday, Jan 3, 2022 - will be paid on Thursday, December 30
Supplementary Welfare Payments will experience the following changes:
- Friday, December 24 - will be paid on Tuesday, December 21
- Monday, December 27 - will be paid on Tuesday, December 21
- Tuesday, December 28 - will be paid on Wednesday, December 22
- Wednesday, December 29 - will be paid on Thursday, December 23
Finally, the monthly Children’s allowance is due on Tuesday, January 4, 2022.
However, because Monday, January 3, is a Bank Holiday it is very likely that it will be paid early - and so you may see it in your bank accounts on Friday, December 31, 2021.
