Greece paid pensions to the dead

Thrugelmir

Poor news day. So some light relief.

Greece has discovered that it has been paying pensions to people who have passed away - in one case, more than a decade ago.
As part of efforts to cut spending and tackle waste, Greece discovered that 321 of the people over 100 years old to whom it pays pensions had died.
The country's Deputy Labour Minister, George Koutroumanis, described the discovery as "incredible".
He said they were now reviewing the circumstances of people under 100.
Mr Koutroumanis decribed the situation as a "Third World phenomenon" that could not be allowed to continue "in a country that wants to be called a European country".
Reform pressure
With help from the police, the government discovered money that had been paid into the bank accounts of the deceased.
Although the number is small, it is a significant proportion of the number of people over 100 in Greece. It is also an issue that senior ministers are taking very seriously, as they say it indicates the inefficiency of the country's benefits system.
A national register of pensioners is to be set up along with a more centralised payments system, the deputy labour minister said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11096512

Running_Horse

Heard about this interesting article while listening to Radio 4:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100007444/it-pays-to-riot-in-europe/

Apparently it pays to riot rather than deal with your economic mess.

yelf

incredible!!!!! almost comparable to imagining uk citizens who worked hard and paid taxes paying for scum benefit scroungers. - crazy.

ILW

Running_Horse wrote: »

Heard about this interesting article while listening to Radio 4:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100007444/it-pays-to-riot-in-europe/

Apparently it pays to riot rather than deal with your economic mess.

The french have been doing it for centuries.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

I bet we pay pensions to 10 x as many dead people....

And, shudder to think, child benefit also.......

vivatifosi

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

I bet we pay pensions to 10 x as many dead people....

And, shudder to think, child benefit also.......

It is accepted good practice in private pension schemes to run what's termed a "pensioner existence exercise" on a regular basis to make sure they are all still alive and that pensions are not being claimed by people committing fraud. I'd like to think that the government does the same though I don't know that they do.

Davesnave

vivatifosi wrote: »

It is accepted good practice in private pension schemes to run what's termed a "pensioner existence exercise" on a regular basis to make sure they are all still alive and that pensions are not being claimed by people committing fraud. I'd like to think that the government does the same though I don't know that they do.

I expect a death filters through via the NI number when it's registered.

However, I remember being rather pleased that my Dad managed to keep going just long enough for his £500 Winter Fuel payment to arrive!

1984ReturnsForReal_2

vivatifosi wrote: »

It is accepted good practice in private pension schemes to run what's termed a "pensioner existence exercise" on a regular basis to make sure they are all still alive and that pensions are not being claimed by people committing fraud. I'd like to think that the government does the same though I don't know that they do.

I think its reliant on you sending the death certificate off to the right department (at least 3 or 4 if I remember), then getting filed in the right place & inputted correctly.

I dont think there is one system. In fact I know there is not one system.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Davesnave wrote: »

I expect a death filters through via the NI number when it's registered.

It would be the NHS number they pick up on if anything.

National Insurance Numbers wouldn't come into it.

vivatifosi

Davesnave wrote: »

I expect a death filters through via the NI number when it's registered.

I've come across a few pensioners that didn't have NI numbers. I think it must be a generational thing.

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

I dont think there is one system. In fact I know there is not one system.

That's what worries me.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

vivatifosi wrote: »

That's what worries me.

Its probably cost a hell of a lot more in failed IT systems than fraud so you should feel able to sleep at night.....