Audit office reports systemic failures in ministry of social welfare benefit management

A special report from the Audit Office, covering the years 2022 and 2023, has identified significant mismanagement and systemic control failures within the Ministry of Social Welfare. The audit scrutinized payments for the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI), child benefits, low pensioner allowances, and single-parent family benefits. Findings reveal that many individuals received payments without valid residence permits or proper eligibility documentation, sometimes for years under a 'pre-approval' status. Specific cases of mismanagement include a third-country national receiving €231,907 over 14 years despite expired permits, and a citizen receiving child benefits for a deceased child. Furthermore, the audit highlighted delays in disability assessments, with over 1,180 cases awaiting referral and hundreds deemed ineligible after long delays. The report warns that the lack of proper social intervention and failure to integrate beneficiaries into the workforce creates a system of dependency rather than a safety net. Auditor General Andreas Papakonstantinou stressed the urgent need for updated information infrastructure and mandatory cross-referencing of data to ensure funds reach genuine beneficiaries. Total welfare expenditures reached approximately €412 million in 2022 and €410.7 million in 2023.