A financial watchdog has identified £3.7m in potential fraud in Northern Ireland’s public sector over the last two years.
The results of the eighth National Fraud Initiative (NFI) was published on Tuesday by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Dorinnia Carville.
The computer-based data matching exercise is run every two years, with public bodies including government departments, agencies, non-departmental public bodies, councils and health sector bodies taking part.
This helps to build a picture of where potentially fraudulent transactions could take place.
Between April 2022 to March 2024, over £3.7m of actual and estimated fraud and error was either found or prevented through the exercise - down from £4.4m in the previous exercise for 2020-22.
Pension fraud, error and overpayments accounted for the vast majority (over £3m) of recovered or prevented fraud - down from £4m in the previous reporting period.
Most of the pension outcomes came from a small number of cases where the pensioner died relatively young and was in receipt of a significant pension.
Other findings showed that outcomes relating to rates increased significantly, with over £500,000 recovered or prevented compared to £57,000 in 2020-22.
This is said to be down to staff having more time to focus on data matches after the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than £90,000 in duplicate payments was also recovered from suppliers.
Ms Carville said that while it remained “impossible” to completely eliminate fraud, all public bodies in had a duty to minimise the impact.
Over the eight NFI exercises so far, she said over £48m of public money in Northern Ireland has been protected or recovered.
In addition, she said public bodies have become more aware of fraud and have put more effective controls in place.
“I would continue to encourage public sector organisations to join in this collective effort, so that we can deliver further savings and positive outcomes for organisations and taxpayers.”
