Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 June 2016
127. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question Number 204 of 2 June 2016, the average waiting time for processing payments under the carer's allowance scheme and for benefits in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16144/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy, insofar as it is available, is contained in the following table.
|
Processing Information |
Average weeks to award a new carer’s allowance application |
Number of carer’s benefit claims awaiting decision as at 31 December (*) |
|
2011 |
Not available (**) |
449 |
|
2012 |
Not available (**) |
255 |
|
2013 |
9 weeks |
363 |
|
2014 |
12 weeks |
477 |
|
2015 |
15 weeks |
Not Available (**) |
|
2016 (April) |
20 weeks |
63 |
(*) A processing time was not published in relation to carer’s benefit for the period in question as the processing system did not support it. The number of claims pending decision is given as an alternative indicative measure.
(**) Processing time/number pending statistics not available as the claims were being processed on two separate systems due to service delivery modernisation work.
The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible. Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the differing qualification criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of disability and caring schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested payments can also require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision making process. Delays can also arise when the application form is not competed fully or supporting documentation is not provided at claim stage or where additional information has been requested from the applicant but remains outstanding.
Carer’s allowance, which is a means-tested scheme, is experiencing delays presently, averaging 20 weeks in April 2016. Delays are also occurring in the processing of carer’s benefit, where claims are processed in an approx. average of 11 weeks at present. This primarily is due to an ongoing increase in new claim intake over the past few years to these schemes and the complexity attached to processing of these applications. In addition, there is sometimes a reluctance on the part of applicants to give full information at application stage thereby slowing down the processing of their application and in some cases necessitating a visit by a Departmental investigative officer.
Reducing these waiting times is a priority for my Department. As part of its programme of service delivery modernisation, a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology, have been implemented by my Department in recent years. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.
In addition, staffing needs are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
