Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 April 2012

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Questions (503, 504, 505, 506, 507)

Tom Fleming

Question:

511 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for carer’s allowance that are currently being processed and the length of time it will take to process same; the number of cases that are under appeal and the length of time it is taking to process the appeals; if he will provide additional staff to speed up the processing of all applications and address the time delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17883/12]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

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.

Tom Fleming

Question:

512 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for jobseeker’s allowance that are currently being processed and the length of time it will take to process same; the number of cases that are under appeal and the length of time it is taking to process appeals; if he will provide additional staff to speed up the processing of all applications and address the time delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17884/12]

Tom Fleming

Question:

522 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for jobseeker’s allowance currently being processed and the length of time it will take to process same; the number of cases that are under appeal and the length of time it is taking to process appeals; if she will provide additional staff to speed up the processing of all applications and address the time delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17988/12]

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 512 and 522 together.

The Department is committed to providing a quality customer service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are issued as quickly as possible having regard to the eligibility conditions which apply. These conditions include, in the case of jobseeker's allowance, establishing the person's identity or their place of habitual residence and assessing means where appropriate. In some cases, delays arise where the person fails to supply all pertinent information in support of their application.

Since May 2008, some 952 staff have been redeployed to the Department to fill critical vacancies in local offices, Central Support Units and the Department's Inspectorate to deal with the increased volume of claims due to the downturn in the economy. Taking into account the number of staff who have left the Department and the vacancies that exist currently, a net total of 486 additional staff have been assigned to the Department. In addition, the Department has recruited new medical assessors and appointed additional staff to the social welfare appeals office. The Department also makes judicious use of overtime and employs temporary staff as appropriate to address particular service issues as they arise.

At the end of March, there were 20,630 jobseekers allowance claims awaiting a decision. It is not possible to give a definite timeline as to how long it will take to process all current pending claims. However, the average processing time for jobseeker's allowance claims decided in March was 5 weeks.

I am advised by the social welfare appeals office that there are currently 2,143 jobseeker's allowance cases relating to means awaiting an appeal decision and a further 1,728 jobseeker's allowance cases awaiting an appeal decision on other issues. This comprises 3,871 cases in total. The current average time taken to process jobseeker's allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 18.8 weeks and 32.2 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. The current average time taken to process jobseeker's allowance means-related appeals decided by summary decision is 14.5 weeks and 40.5 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing.

Tom Fleming

Question:

513 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for invalidity pension that are currently being processed and the length of time it will take to process same; the number of cases that are under appeal and the length of time it will take to process appeals; if he will provide additional staff to speed up the processing of all applications and address the time delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17885/12]

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

At the end of March 2012 there were 7,040 Invalidity Pension (IP) claims registered and pending decision. Average time to award is currently 32 weeks, this includes the time taken to decide EU and bilateral cases which have a significantly longer processing time. It is not possible to segregate domestic claim processing times from EU/bi-lateral cases.

In an effort to ensure continuity of payment priority is given to applications received from illness benefit (IB) recipients whose payment is due to expire therefore applicants who are in receipt of a continuous IB payment which will not expire provided they continue to satisfy the medical criteria will take longer to process. Since the introduction of the two year expiration of illness benefit there has been a significant increase in the number of IP claims received in this department. A high percentage of these applicants are not suitable for the invalidity pension scheme as they are not considered to be permanently incapable of work.

The processing time for individual Invalidity pension claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the qualifying criteria. In addition, factors outside the department's control can have an impact, for example, insufficient information received from claimants at time of application and delays in claimants furnishing the information requested.

This Department is continually reviewing its processes in an effort to improve processing times and customer service. Many improvements have already been introduced in IP section. Since June 2011 all IP claims are processed on a new IT platform under the department's service delivery model project. This has led to further efficiencies in processing which resulted in an increase in the number of claims processed. Most claims are now desk assessed by medical assessors to determine medical suitability. Two temporary staff have been assigned to the IP area to help to reduce the backlog and waiting time. Overtime has been made available and is utilised on a judicious basis. Despite these improvements it is expected to be a significant number of months before the backlog is reduced to an acceptable level.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are currently 2,431 invalidity pension cases awaiting a decision on appeal.

The current average times taken to process IP appeals decided by summary decision is 36.9 weeks and, excluding 4 very protracted cases, 36.5 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing.

Customers waiting on a decision on their IP claim, who have urgent income support needs, can apply for the means tested supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) from their local Community Welfare Officer.

Tom Fleming

Question:

514 Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for illness benefit that are currently being processed and the length of time it will take to process same; the number of cases that are under appeal and the length of time it is taking to process appeals; if she will provide additional staff to speed up the processing of all applications and address the time delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17886/12]

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

In the period from 1 January 2012 to 31 March 2012 some 78,500 claims for illness benefit were processed. At the end of March 2012 there were 5,282 illness benefit claims awaiting decision. The average time to process a claim for illness benefit is one week.

I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are currently 2,277 illness benefit cases awaiting a decision on appeal. The current average time taken to process illness benefit appeals decided by summary decision is 39.8 weeks and it is 51.9 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing.

In relation to additional resources in the Social Welfare Appeals Office, the Department appointed 12 additional Appeals Officers during 2010 and 2011. In addition, a further 10 Appeals Officers, formerly employed by the Community Welfare Services (CWS) of the Health Services Executive joined the Office as part of the integration of the CWS appeals services into the Social Welfare Appeals Office. This brings the total number of Appeals Officers to 39.

I am assured by the Chief Appeals Officer that she is keeping the methods of operation by which the Social Welfare Appeals Office conducts its business under constant review, and that the processes are continuously being enhanced to reduce the backlogs in the Office and, overall, to reduce the processing times for dealing with appeals.