Thousands of pensioners in Ireland have been receiving state benefits for the last two years, despite the rather sizeable obstacle that they are in fact, eh, dead.
And while a Weekend at Bernie’s style scenario where friends of the deceased pensioners would carry them along to the social welfare offices to receive their benefits would undoubtedly be hilarious, the reality is a whole lot different.
According to the Irish Independent this morning, nearly 10,000 so-called ‘phantom pensioners’ were discovered after the Department of Social Protection cross-checked its pension payments against the death records held by the General Register Office.
A number of the payments are accounted for by the three month grace period after a person’s death, following which their next of kin is legally obliged to inform the Department so that the pension will be cancelled.
Sensing an opportunity to continue to cash in at the expense of the Government and the taxpayer, however, a number of cases have emerged where associates of the deceased pensioner have conveniently neglected to mention the death of their friend or relative and continued to receive their payments long after they kicked the bucket.
According to figures supplied by the Department, there were total “overpayments” of €10.6m in 2009 and at least €7.8m last year and payments were made in respect of 9,850 dead pensioners over the two year period.
The Department has the power to legally demand repayment of the erroneous pension payments and have apparently recouped €7 million worth so far.
It has also emerged that in the most extreme cases, some people scammed the government for pension payments for two decades after the pensioner had passed away. That’s 20 years, for God’s sake; did nobody think to check that all was above board?
