This report examines the issue of fraud, abuse and misuse of disability benefit programmes in seventeen member countries. While several of the countries view their disability programmes as vulnerable to fraud and abuse, and have taken steps to address this, most do not consider this to be a significant problem, although all are at least potentially at risk. The non-reporting of employment income is the area of greatest concern. Most jurisdictions have identified a need for both prevention and enforcement measures, although they have taken different approaches to these, reflecting the varying degrees of importance they attach to the issue. Misuse of disability programmes is not considered a major problem in any of the countries.

The report also reviews new developments in the administration of disability programmes in the seventeen countries. Many of these changes are in response to rapid programme growth, and two broad themes emerge. The first is the need to control rising costs, with a number of countries taking or contemplating steps to restrict eligibility. The second is the need to encourage beneficiaries with regained capacity to return to work, and to support them through the transition. The range of different return to work support measures currently being tried by member countries suggests that in future there should be lessons to be drawn about what works and what does not in returning beneficiaries to work. Many of the countries have also taken steps to improve adjudication and speed up their decisional processes, with a view to strengthening management and accountability and improving client service.