Error leads to vast overpayment in Social Services benefits

Oct 14, 2022 | 10:08 AM

A payment system error within the Ministry of Social Services on Wednesday led to a vast, but temporary, overpayment of benefits.

About 175 people receiving income assistance from the provincial government got a direct deposit of a payment that had an extra two zeros on the end – so a payment that should have been $300 would have been sent out as $30,000, and a payment of $1,000 would have been sent out as $100,000.

As of Thursday evening, the ministry was still trying to figure out just how much money was sent out in error.

In a statement, the ministry said the issue was discovered within hours of the payment going out and it had the banks reverse the deposits. The correct amounts were sent out to recipients on Thursday.

Error leads to vast overpayment in Social Services benefits

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