Data matching and over-payments - good and bad

The Ministry of Social Development has improved its detection of benefit  over-payments by data matching with Corrections, Housing NZ, IRD, ACC and Internal Affairs. The results:




table IS.3: Data-matching cases completed, and overpayments identified

Financial year1	Number of cases completed	Overpayments identified – amount ($)
2006/2007	39,123	19,012,850
2007/2008	67,838	31,316,452
2008/2009	54,582	20,007,833
2009/2010	74,030	27,870,841
2010/2011	106,408	34,293,370

Note

1. Financial years ended 30 June.

Both a good and a bad result. Good because the over-payments are being identified and bad because there are so many of them. One other positive aspect is that as more over-payments are uncovered the average amount is dropping.

According to the report;

92% of current clients with balances owed are repaying on average $14.32 a week

This repayment applies to all balances owed which might include legitimate advances.