Just under half the reports of possible social benefit abuse made in 2016 turned out to be correct, with the Benefit Fraud Investigation Department taking action against 330 cases out of the 650 reported.

Replying to a Parliamentary Question, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon said the Department of Social Security was asked to either suspend the benefits outright or to revise them appropriately in these 330 cases.

He said that the abuses, had they not been curbed, would have cost the government €4,020,309.

Between 2013 and 2015, around 990 cases of benefit fraud were found, out of 2,600 allegations.

In September this year, a freephone number– 80072294 – was launched which allows people to report suspected abuse of social housing.

Read: Freephone revealing social housing abuse

Within a few weeks, 18 reports had already been received, all of which were promptly followed up.