THE number of people being convicted of benefit fraud in Northern Ireland has more than halved in five years.
In 2011 there were 567 convictions through the courts but the figure dropped to less than half that amount, 268, by last year.
Since 2012, the number of successful prosecutions has reduced steadily by around 100 each year.
The Department for Communities has linked the drop in convictions to changes in the payment of cheques to welfare claimants.
A spokeswoman said: "Convictions have reduced in the past few years due to the removal of benefit related cheque frauds, where a customer could claim an original cheque was not received, obtain a replacement and subsequently cash both cheques."
The department also said it had recouped more money during recent years through penalties for "lower value benefit offences".
The spokeswoman said that convictions "represent only one aspect" of measures taken against benefit fraud.
"The department's approach is successful with the level of benefit fraud having been held at just 0.6 per cent or less of total social security benefit expenditure over the past seven years.
"Convictions represent only one aspect of how benefit fraud is dealt with. Over the same period administrative penalties for lower value benefit fraud offences have increased, illustrating the department's success in detecting frauds earlier."
The figures were released by Justice Minister Claire Sugden in response to a question from Upper Bann DUP MLA Sydney Anderson.
Mr Anderson said: "It is important that those who abuse the system are brought to justice. It is particularly important so that those who are in genuine need of benefits can receive them.
"Fraud of any kind must be condemned and strong, robust legislation should work as a deterrent to this type of crime."
In July, The Irish News reported that benefit fraud investigations, designed to return money wrongly claimed, have cost more to carry out than they have recouped.
Almost £4.6m was recovered from investigations over two years, while £5.3m was paid out in salaries.
All money recovered from welfare fraud is paid back to the Treasury in London.
Last year the former Department for Social Development was criticised for spending almost £100,000 on a campaign warning people against benefit fraud.
Benefit fraud tip-offs rose by 10 per cent during 2014 to more than 5,100.
The Social Security Agency said benefit fraud was estimated to have cost taxpayers in Northern Ireland £16m in 2013.
