The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. In the interests of fairness applications are processed, as far as possible, in order of the date on which they were received.
There were c 53,000 people in receipt of carer's payments as at the end of February 2012 this represents an increase of c 60% over the past five years. In addition there are, at present, circa 7,800 applications registered and awaiting a decision. I acknowledge that this is unsatisfactory but I am satisfied that the department is taking all steps available to it to resolve the issue.
A major service delivery modernisation project is underway to address the large increase in the claim-load and to improve the efficiency of administration of the carer's allowance scheme. This involves the development of information technology functions and associated business process re-organisation. It is anticipated that the new system will introduce significant processing efficiencies and a quicker and more responsive service to the customer. Accordingly, the project is being given high priority and involves a significant level of time and commitment from the relevant staff in the Department. This has had a short-term negative impact on claim processing times. This essential focus of certain staff resources will continue until the completion of the modernisation project in June of this year when all existing carer's allowance claims will be transferred onto the new processing system.
Accurate processing time figures are not yet available as applications are still being processed on both the old and the new computer systems. The average time to award an application on both systems at present is estimated at around 28 weeks.
In addition to the deployment of new systems which should address service levels in the medium term the Department allocates additional resources in the form of overtime working to help reduce backlogs that have built up. In addition, approval is being given to the assignment of temporary staff to expedite the reduction of the backlog. However, it is expect to be a significant number of months before the backlog is reduced to an acceptable level.
In the meantime, if a person's means are insufficient to meet their needs while awaiting a decision on an application, they may apply for a means-tested supplementary welfare allowance payment from their local community welfare officer.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are currently 1,421 carers allowance cases awaiting a decision on appeal.
The current average times taken to process carers allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 31.5 weeks and 42.8 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing.