I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that statistics are not maintained in the format requested by the Deputy. The average processing times are maintained for the overall scheme type, not for the issue(s) under appeal i.e. in this case rent supplement.
The number of rent supplement appeals decided by Appeals Officers, and the number and average processing times for all supplementary welfare allowance appeals for years 2011 to date in 2013 are given in the attached tables.
Prior to October 2011, supplementary welfare allowance appeals were submitted directly to appeals officers of the Health Services Executive (HSE) and appellants had a final right of appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer following appeal to the HSE appeals officer. Since the transfer of Community Welfare Services to my Department in October 2011 supplementary welfare allowance appeals are made directly to the Chief Appeals Officer.
Table 1: Outcome of Rent Supplement Appeals 2011 – 2013
Rent Supplement Appeals 2011 – 2013 (to 31/5/2013)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Year
|
Allowed
|
Partially Allowed
|
Disallowed
|
Total
|
* 2011
|
128
|
29
|
468
|
625
|
2012
|
473
|
88
|
1,562
|
2,123
|
2013 ( to 31/5/2013)
|
225
|
41
|
546
|
812
|
* Since the transfer of Community Welfare Services to the Department in October 2011 supplementary welfare allowance appeals are made directly to the Chief Appeals Officer.
Table 2: Outcome of All Supplementary Welfare Allowance Appeals 2011 – 2013
Supplementary Welfare Allowance Appeals 2011 – 2013 (to 31/5/2013)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Year
|
Allowed
|
Partially Allowed
|
Disallowed
|
Total
|
* 2011
|
307
|
68
|
1,126
|
1,501
|
2012
|
1,017
|
142
|
3,105
|
4,264
|
2013 ( to 31/5/2013)
|
410
|
65
|
1,123
|
1,598
|
Table 3:Processing Times for Supplementary Welfare Allowance Appeals 2011 – 2013
Appeals processing times for Supplementary Welfare Allowance appeals
2011 – 2013 (to 31/5/2013)
|
-
|
-
|
Year
|
Average processing times (weeks)
Summary Decisions
|
Average processing times (weeks)
Oral Hearings
|
* 2011
|
6.3
|
17.6
|
2012
|
17.6
|
22.9
|
January 2013
|
16.5
|
33.3
|
February 2013
|
17.0
|
27.4
|
March 2013
|
17.5
|
21.7
|
April 2013
|
18.2
|
21.5
|
May 2013
|
17.1
|
24.7
|