Wednesday, 24 Apr 2013

Written Answers Nos. 140-149

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Questions (140)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

140. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application for invalidity pension (details supplied) [19377/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 2 April 2013, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Invalidity Pension Appeals

Questions (141)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

141. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on an appeal for invalidity pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick and a time frame as to when a decision will be made;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19378/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2 January 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 13 April 2013 and the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. While every effort is being made to deal with the large numbers awaiting a decision on their appeals, it is not possible to give an approximate date when a decision will be issued. In order to be fair to all appellants, they are dealt with in strict chronological order. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Questions (142)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

142. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for various social welfare payments such as disability benefit, disability allowance, invalidity pension or other means-tested or health-related payments which have been refused the decision upheld on appeal and subsequently granted on foot of a new application in each of the past three years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19389/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is not collated by my Department. However I include, for the Deputy’s information, a table detailing the number of means-tested or health-related payments that have been awarded during 2010, 2011, 2012 and up to 31 March 2013.

Health Related and Means Assessed Schemes Awarded

Allowances	2010	2011	2012	31 March 2013
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	7,191	5,730	7,243	1,666
Jobseeker's Allowance	191,144	174,491	167,623	39,911
One-Parent Family Payment	12,127	12,178	11,151	2,600
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non-Contributory Pension	533	377	287	40
Disability Allowance	8,306	9,246	10,400	2,394
Blind Pension	117	106	96	23
Carer's Allowance	8,769	7,465	9,880	5,685
Domiciliary Care Allowance	3,103	2,686	1,586	383
Respite Care Grant	5,486	4,965	4,575	382
Illness Benefit	249,166	259,008	245,319	70,974
Interim Illness Benefit/Occupational Injury	12,289	11,616	10,927	2,940
Invalidity Pension	3,597	2,657	6,352	2,405
Disablement Pension	1,293	1,310	1,384	242
Carer's Benefit	1,965	1,941	2,021	394
Family Income Supplement - New Claims	14,328	13,631	13,264	7,236
Family Income Supplement - Claim Renewals	22,101	23,787	28,118	10,268
Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)	106	117	95	20

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Questions (143)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 667 of 16 April 2013 if she will indicate if in the determination of means, specific regard was had for persons liabilities in the form of outstanding liabilities to revenue, arrears of mortgage and lack of any income whatsoever; if the totality of any means assessed against them exceeded such liabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19390/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The person concerned is in receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance payment. The means assessment is subject to the legislative provisions of that scheme. It is open to the person concerned to appeal the decision or if there are any changes in his circumstances he can request a review of his means.

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Questions (144)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications for disability allowance/invalidity pension approved on application, refused on application and/or subsequently awarded and/or approved on appeal in each of the past three years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19391/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tabular statement.

Disability Allowance

	Registered	Awarded on Application	Refused on Application	Withdrawn by Applicant	Pending	Awarded/ Approved on Appeal
2010	21,409	8,306	10,316	626	6,880	1,951
2011	24,264	9,246	14,116	783	6,999	2,457
2012	25,887	10,400	14,519	1,240	7,775	2,939
31 March 2013	5,034	2,394	4,015	265	6,834	913

Invalidity Pension

	Registered	Awarded on Application	Refused on Application	Withdrawn by Applicant	Pending	Awarded/ Approved on Appeal
2010	8,774	3,597	3,677	285	2,701	532
2011*	14,621	2,657	5,945	1,699	6,814	759
2012	11,510	6,352	10,721	702	3,662	1,509
31 March 2013	2,453	2,405	2,588	342	2,627	1,897

*Due to scheme migrating to a new processing system statistics were not accurately reported for the first quarter 2011.

Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times

Questions (145)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

145. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the average length of time taken to process appeals for means-tested or health-related social welfare payments in each of the past three years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19392/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The average time taken to process appeals for means-tested or health-related social welfare payments in each of the past three years to date is given in the following Table. These processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They include all activities during this period including time spent in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant, and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department’s Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. A considerable period of time is added to the process when an oral hearing is required because of the logistics involved in this process. By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial nature, the processing of appeals takes time even at the best of times and reflects the fact that, by definition, the appeal process cannot be a quick one.

Table: Average Processing Times of Appeals 2010-2012

SCHEME	2010	2010	2011	2011	2012	2012
-	Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions	Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings	Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions	Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings	Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions	Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings
Blind Pension	19.8	39.4	20.4	69.8	24.4	34.7
Carers Allowance	26.9	47.3	31.3	57.9	33.5	42.5
Carers Benefit	21.6	44.2	21.8	59.4	27.3	35.3
Disability Allowance	30.8	51.1	27.4	55.6	34.2	40.6
Illness Benefit	39.2	56.4	38.2	59.8	41.9	50.3
Domiciliary Care	26.8	49.1	25.4	55.8	32.5	41.4
Farm Assist	23.2	50.7	20.9	57.9	23.4	44.9
Bereavement Grant	25.1	-	22.1	-	29.0	-
Family Income Supplement	21.4	29.0	19.9	31.8	22.8	31.2
Invalidity Pension	40.9	59.7	36.4	58.9	38.8	48.7
One Parent Family Payment	30.2	49.4	24.3	57.5	29.4	44.6
Maternity Benefit	37.7	-	25.1	62.1	30.8	41.7
State Pension (Non-Con)	26.5	49.9	20.6	54.6	27.7	51.1
Occupational Injury Benefit	55.7	53.8	30.7	54.8	19.5	66.9
Occupational Injury Benefit (Medical)	32.5	67.9	77.8	65.0	78.7	87.4
Disablement Pension	27.4	51.9	48.0	59.7	35.7	46.0
Incapacity Supplement	-	30.7	-	48.3	14.2	48.8
Guardian's Payment (Non-con)	24.3	42.2	23.9	59.0	32.0	58.8
Pre-Retirement Allowance	-	-	-	-	54.6	-
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means)	22.2	46.9	18.0	54.8	22.8	38.2
Jobseeker's Allowance	23.6	43.0	23.8	47.9	24.4	34.4
Respite Care Grant	30.5	49.1	23.4	60.8	28.5	37.3
Supplementary Welfare  Allowance	6.9	14.8	6.3	17.6	17.6	22.9
Treatment Benefits	21.9	57.8	28.8	-	19.0	-
Survivor's Pension (Non-con)	31.9	54.6	18.1	53.1	30.9	39.1
Widows Parent Grant	20.9	-	22.0	-	23.2	-

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Questions (146)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

146. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for health-related social welfare payments approved on application or referred to appeal in each of the past three years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19393/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

All applications for Social Welfare payments are considered on the merits of the information supplied by the applicant. In the event of an application failing to satisfy the eligibility criteria for the scheme the applicant is so advised and informed of their right to lodge an appeal of the decision with the Social Welfare Appeals Office. Included in this reply is a breakdown by scheme of all awarded claims (Table 1) and appeals registered (Table 2) in respect of health-related social welfare payments for the period 2010 to 31 March 2013.

Table 1 - Health Related and Means Assessed Schemes Awarded on Application

-	2010	2011	2012	31 March 2013
Disability Allowance	8,306	9,246	10,400	2,394
Blind Pension	117	106	96	23
Carer's Allowance	8,769	7,465	9,880	5,685
Domiciliary Care Allowance	3,103	2,686	1,586	383
Respite Care Grant	5,486	4,965	4,575	382
Illness Benefit	249,166	259,008	245,319	70,974
Interim Illness Benefit/Occupational Injury	12,289	11,616	10,927	2,940
Invalidity Pension	3,597	2,657	6,352	2,405
Disablement Pension	1,293	1,310	1,384	242
Carer's Benefit	1,965	1,941	2,021	394
Incapacity Supplement	-	-	-	Claim activity is not collated in respect of this scheme.
*Partial Capacity Benefit	-	-	-	Claim activity is not collated in respect of this scheme.

*Scheme commenced February 2012

Table 2 - Health Related and Means Assessed Schemes Appeals Registered

-	2010	2011	2012	31 March 2013
Disability Allowance	4,840	5,472	6,223	1,508
Blind Pension	14	21	27	5
Carer's Allowance	3,025	2,199	2,676	1,052
Domiciliary Care Allowance	1,858	2,401	2,186	281
Respite Care Grant	162	303	278	59
Illness Benefit	5,471	3,657	2,647	564
Interim Illness Benefit/Occupational Injury	44	21	19	4
Invalidity Pension	1,024	2,285	4,765	1,332
Disablement Pension	342	263	409	88
Carer's Benefit	182	160	183	28
Incapacity Supplement	15	6	21	-
*Partial Capacity Benefit	-	-	67	22

* Scheme commenced February 2012

Domiciliary Care Allowance Application Numbers

Questions (147)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

147. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for domiciliary care allowance received in each of the past five years to date; the number approved, rejected or pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19394/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Department has been accepting new claims for DCA since 1 April 2009. Statistics relating to the allowance for the period prior to April 2009 are a matter for the HSE, the previous administrators of the scheme. The number of applicants for DCA that were received, awarded and refused from April 2009 to December 2012 is set out in the table.

Domiciliary Care Allowance applications – 2009 to 2012

	Applications received	Applications processed in year	Applications allowed*	Applications disallowed
2009 (from 1st April)	3,389	2,823	1,220 (43%)	1,603
2010	5,457	5,333	2,576 (48%)	2,757
2011	5,525	5,396	2502 (46%)	2,894
2012	4,339	4,680	2204 (47%)	2,476

*including on review following receipt of additional information.

There were 639 DCA applications pending as of 31st March 2013.

Social Welfare Benefits Applications

Questions (148, 149)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

148. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for rent allowance refused or reduced in each of the past two years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19395/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

149. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons in receipt of mortgage interest supplement in each of the past two years to date; the number who have had reductions in this payment in the period in question for whatever reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19396/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together.

The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are currently approximately 86,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013. Mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are approximately 13,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided some €42 million for 2013. Statistics are not available on the number of applications for rent or mortgage interest supplement refused or reduced in each of the past two years to date.

Following Budget 2012 all recipients of rent supplement and mortgage interest supplement experienced a reduction in their payment following the increase of the minimum contribution paid by recipients towards their accommodation costs, which came into effect from January 2012. The minimum contribution increased from €24 to €30 for a single adult household and to €35 for a couple.

The following tabular statement shows the number of rent supplement and mortgage interest supplement recipients at end 2011 and 2012 and to end March 2013.

Number of rent supplement and mortgage interest supplement recipients

Year	Rent Supplement	Mortgage Interest Supplement
2011	96,803	18,988
2012	87,684	14,597
2013 – End March	86,375	13,413