The Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) expects to pay more than $13 billion in social security benefits in 2007/08. Therefore, it is vital that New Zealanders have confidence and trust in how the Ministry administers the social security benefits system.
To protect the integrity of the benefits system, the Ministry needs to ensure that people receive their full and correct benefit entitlements at the right time. This includes a need for the Ministry to effectively counteract benefit fraud.
We carried out a performance audit to assess the effectiveness of the Ministry's systems, policies, and procedures for preventing, detecting, and investigating benefit fraud.
The focus of our performance audit was the Ministry's Integrity Services group, which is responsible for protecting the integrity of the benefits system by preventing and reducing benefit fraud and debt. We also visited some of the Ministry's Work and Income service centres, which contribute to the prevention of benefit fraud through regular contact with the Ministry's clients.