Anonymous Reports

Members of the public can submit anonymous reports and are asked to provide as much detail as possible about the case they are reporting.

Reports can be made:

• Online: 'www.welfare.ie'
• By phone: Locall 1890 927999 or (071) 9672648 or call (01) 7043000 and ask to be put throught to Central Control Section
• By post: Central Control Division, DSP, Shannon Lodge, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim

All anonymous or confidential reports are examined and where necessary, are referred to the relevant area of the Department and/or to the Department’s Inspectors for follow-up action. A payment is not suspended or stopped solely on the basis of an anonymous report.

A Social Welfare Inspector may then carry out a full review of the circumstances and means of the customer in order to determine ongoing entitlement to the relevant payment.

The Department is committed to ensuring that social welfare payments are available to those who are entitled to them. 

Note: Reports are also made directly to scheme areas and in public offices which are not included here.

• In 6,563 cases a report of suspected fraud was sent to the relevant area for examination as some clients were in receipt of more than one payment; see breakdown below.
• In 1,997 of the cases received in 2011 it was not possible to issue a report due to lack of information, no claim being in payment or the information reported would not impact on entitlement.

The total scheme breakdown is more than the 6,563 cases reported as some clients were in receipt of more than one payment e.g. OFP client could also be in receipt of CB and Rent.

2010 V's 2011