This report is about the effort made by the Ministry of Employment, the Ministry of Children, Gender Equality, Integration and Social Affairs (the Ministry of Social Affairs) and the local authorities to reduce the extent of incorrect payments of social benefits. Public authorities make benefit awards to the citizens to help them sustain an income. In 2012, total public expenditure for social benefits amounted to DKK 266.4 billion. Due to the size of the amount, Rigsrevisionen found it relevant to examine the performance made by the authorities to ensure the correctness of social benefits payments.
The purpose of the report is to assess whether the effort made by the Ministry of Employment, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the local authorities to reduce incorrect payments of social benefits is satisfactory. The report answers the following questions:
- Have the Ministry of Employment and the Ministry of Social Affairs established a satisfactory basis for reducing incorrect payments of social benefits?
- Are the local authorities focused on reducing official errors, accidental errors by citizens and fraud?
- Do the local authorities – in a satisfactory manner – seek to prevent errors by citizens by ensuring that their written communication with the recipients of social benefits is understandable?
Rigsrevisionen initiated the report in May 2013.
Read the 1st chapter of the report (PDF)