The Government wants to intensify the work against benefit fraud.
It is extremely important that our joint tax funds do not go to those who deliberately cheat and deceive, says Social Insurance Minister Anna Tenje (M).
The investigator Mikael Westberg proposes that individuals who repeatedly and intentionally cheat with benefits in social insurance should simply be able to be shut out.
This is a very powerful proposal, he says.
"Powerful proposal"
A shutout should be at least three months and a maximum of three years, and the investigator estimates that around 6,000 such decisions will be made each year.
This is about catching people who try to get benefits despite knowing they have no right to them, says Westberg.
You should not be able to be shut out for carelessness at a single occasion, but it requires both repetition and intent or gross negligence.
Both the Insurance Fund and the Pension Authority should be able to make decisions to shut out a person.
But even those who are careless should face stricter penalties, according to the investigation. Individuals who provide incorrect information leading to incorrect payment should be forced to pay a penalty fee.
The idea is that the penalty fees will function as a punishment for those who cheat intentionally and as a wake-up call for those who are careless and do not have control, says Westberg.
The fee is proposed to be 25 percent of the amount that is reclaimed.
The investigator estimates that around 60,000 people per year may be affected if the proposal is implemented. This should be compared to approximately 1,000 people who are currently convicted of benefit fraud in court.
More get penalties
If a penalty fee is introduced, only serious cases will be reported to the police, according to the investigator.
The problem today is that very few end up in the legal system. With this proposal, significantly more will receive a penalty for their offenses, says Mikael Westberg.
The intention with the proposals is that they will lead to a changed behavior.
The idea is not that people will repeatedly receive a penalty fee, but hopefully think twice and become more careful, he says.
Today, approximately 10 billion kronor are paid out incorrectly from social insurance each year. The total payments amount to approximately 670 billion kronor per year.
The Government will now work further with the proposals, which Tenje thinks "are excellent".
I am eager to get more tools, she says.
Benefit ban:
In cases of repeated and intentional or grossly negligent errors, the Insurance Fund and the Pension Authority should be able to shut out a person from a certain benefit.
Should apply for at least three months and a maximum of three years.
Not allowed if children are unfairly affected or if a person does not receive the necessary support in daily life (e.g. assistance allowance).
Should be possible to reassess in case of new circumstances (e.g. if one becomes seriously ill).
Penalty fee:
Those who provide incorrect information and thereby receive money incorrectly should be forced to pay a penalty fee.
Even carelessness should lead to a penalty fee.
Should be 25 percent of the incorrectly paid amount, or at least 2,300 and at most 73,500 kronor.
Should be possible to write off if deemed "unreasonable", e.g. if one is seriously ill, has a high age or disability.
Source: A more effective system for combating benefit fraud
