Social Welfare Schemes Data

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Questions (316, 317)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

316. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the applications for various social welfare payments which are most commonly refused on application and referred to appeal or an oral hearing; the number of cases subsequently rejected or approved on appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3227/17]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

317. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of oral hearings that have taken place in the past 12 months in respect of the various payments made by his Department to social welfare recipients; the number of cases in which the original decision was overturned arising from the hearing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3228/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 316 and 317 together.

The following tables provide the details which have been requested by the Deputy in respect of 2015 and 2016.

The schemes with the highest number of appeals to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2015 and 2016 were - disability allowance (6,435 in 2015/4,912 in 2016), carer’s allowance (3,188 in 2015/3,887 in 2016), jobseeker’s allowance - means (2,174 in 2015/2,050 in 2016), jobseeker’s allowance - payments (2,058 in 2015/2,031 in 2016), supplementary welfare allowance (2,125 in 2015/1,970 in 2016), invalidity pension (1,857 in 2015/1,362 in 2016) and domiciliary care allowance (1,258 in 2015/1,198 in 2016).

Details of appeal outcomes for the above schemes are set out in the following tables. Overall, 58.8% of the 25,406 appeals which were finalised in 2015 had a favourable outcome for the appellant, i.e. were either allowed in full or in part, or resolved by way of a revised decision by a Deciding Officer/Designated Person. 59.2% of the 23,220 appeals finalised in 2016 had a favourable outcome for the appellant.

Of the 18,913 appeals which were finalised by Appeals Officers in 2015, 6,886 (36.4%) were determined following an oral hearing. 4,444 (64.5%) of these had a favourable outcome for the appellant. Of the 16,990 appeals finalised by Appeals Officers in 2016, 6,527 (38.4%) were determined following an oral hearing. 4,251 (65.1%) of these had a favourable outcome for the appellant.

There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was wrong.

Where new evidence is provided with an appeal, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person. This was the case in some 35% of favourable appeal outcomes in 2015 and some 37% of favourable appeal outcomes in 2016. Where the decision is not revised in the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds. In addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may also influence the outcome of the appeal.

Social Welfare legislation provides that an Appeals Officer may determine an appeal without an oral hearing where s/he is of the opinion that it can be determined fairly on the basis of the documentary evidence provided. In general, where there is a conflict in the documentary evidence presented, an Appeals Officer will convene an oral hearing in order to explore the evidence and seek to resolve any conflict.

In addition, where an appellant requests an oral hearing, the request is generally granted unless the Appeals Officer is of the opinion that the appeal can be allowed on a summary basis, or where there is clearly nothing to be gained by granting an oral hearing. An example of this would be where the appeal question relates to PRSI contribution conditions or means and the underlying PRSI contribution figures or means are not disputed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Appeal Receipts 2015 – 2016

-	2015	2016
Blind Person’s Pension	22	13
Carers Allowance	3,188	3,887
Carers Benefit	93	95
Child Benefit	552	595
Disability Allowance	6,435	4,912
Illness Benefit	1,204	819
Death Benefit	1	1
Partial Capacity Benefit	42	42
Domiciliary Care Allowance	1,258	1,198
Deserted Wives Benefit	19	7
Deserted Wives Allowance	1	-
Farm Assist	201	196
Bereavement Grant	6	3
Family Income Supplement	447	510
Invalidity Pension	1,857	1,362
Liable Relatives	26	23
Maternity Benefit	71	87
Paternity Benefit	-	1
One Parent Family Payment	368	313
State Pension (Contributory)	264	366
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	348	397
State Pension (Transition)	3	2
Occupational Injury Benefit	65	56
Disablement Pension	347	298
Occupational Injury-Medical Care	4	4
Incapacity Supplement	12	9
Guardian's Payment (Con)	49	38
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con)	18	17
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means)	2,174	2,050
Jobseeker's Allowance	2,058	2,031
BTW Family Dividend	64	52
Jobseeker's Transitional	34	43
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance	26	24
Jobseeker's Benefit	735	637
Treatment Benefit	3	5
Carer’s Support Grant *	124	164
Insurability of Employment	156	151
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	2,125	1,970
Survivor's Pension (Con)	40	49
Survivor's Pension (Non-con)	25	26
Widows Parent Grant	10	8
All Appeals	24,475	22,461

* Previously called Respite Care Grant

Outcome of Disability Allowance Appeals 2015– 2016
		Favourable Decisions
	Appeal Receipts	Revised Deciding Officers Decisions	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Appeals Disallowed	Withdrawn
2015	6,435	1,443	3,384	85	1,751	77
2016	4,912	815	2,830	88	1,367	75

Outcome of Carer’s Allowance Appeals 2015– 2016
		Favourable Decisions
	Appeal Receipts	Revised Deciding Officers Decisions	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Appeals Disallowed	Withdrawn
2015	3,188	579	1,352	155	1,355	50
2016	3,887	815	1,375	145	1,237	52

Outcome of Jobseeker’s Allowance (Means) Appeals 2015– 2016
		Favourable Decisions
	Appeal Receipts	Revised Deciding Officers Decisions	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Appeals Disallowed	Withdrawn
2015	2,174	299	284	108	1,336	229
2016	2,050	338	287	120	1,216	198

Outcome of Jobseeker’s Allowance (Payments) Appeals 2015– 2016
		Favourable Decisions
	Appeal Receipts	Revised Deciding Officers Decisions	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Appeals Disallowed	Withdrawn
2015	2,058	260	536	116	972	175
2016	2,031	324	525	98	945	141

Outcome of Supplementary Welfare Allowance Appeals 2015– 2016
		Favourable Decisions
	Appeal Receipts	Revised Deciding Officers Decisions	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Appeals Disallowed	Withdrawn
2015	2,125	373	634	77	1,069	177
2016	1.970	346	532	75	923	156

Outcome of Invalidity Pension Appeals 2015– 2016
		Favourable Decisions
	Appeal Receipts	Revised Deciding Officers Decisions	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Appeals Disallowed	Withdrawn
2015	1,857	511	1,135	17	421	37
2016	1,362	642	682	10	302	18

Outcome of Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals 2015– 2016
		Favourable Decisions
	Appeal Receipts	Revised Deciding Officers Decisions	Appeals Allowed	Appeals Partly Allowed	Appeals Disallowed	Withdrawn
2015	1,258	313	571	40	226	8
2016	1,198	469	596	18	250	11

Number and Outcome of Appeals Determined following Oral Hearings 2015
	Allowed	Partially allowed	Disallowed	No. of Oral Hearings
Blind Person’s Pension	1	-	3	4
Carers Allowance	733	101	516	1,350
Carers Benefit	10	5	18	33
Child Benefit	29	12	37	78
Disability Allowance	1,497	44	550	2,091
Illness Benefit	109	6	88	203
Partial Capacity Benefit	3	-	2	5
Death Benefit	-	-	1	1
Domiciliary Care Allowance	242	7	82	331
Deserted Wives Allowance	1	-	-	1
Deserted Wives Benefit	5	4	2	11
Farm Assist	23	14	30	67
Bereavement Grant	1	-	1	2
Liable Relatives	-	-	1	1
Family Income Supplement	16	3	19	38
Invalidity Pension	451	8	147	606
Maternity Benefit	-	-	6	6
One Parent Family Payment	62	15	65	142
State Pension (Contributory)	18	2	19	39
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	34	17	47	98
State Pension (Transition)	0	1	1	2
Occupational Injury Benefit	8	-	9	17
Disablement Pension	77	10	56	143
Incapacity Supplement	5	-	-	5
Guardian's Payment (Con)	6	3	4	13
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con)	5	-	-	5
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means)	172	57	253	482
Jobseeker's Allowance	227	59	208	494
Jobseeker's Transitional	1	-	-	1
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance	1	-	-	1
Jobseeker’s Benefit	45	19	37	101
Carer’s Support Grant *	18	2	13	33
Insurability of Employment	17	-	34	51
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	207	24	187	418
Survivor's Pension (Con)	3	0	3	6
Survivor's Pension (Non-con)	3	1	2	6
Widows Parent Grant	-	-	1	1
All Appeals	4,030	414	2,442	6,886

* Previously called Respite Care Grant

Number and Outcome of Appeals Determined following Oral Hearings 2016
	Allowed	Partially allowed	Disallowed	No. of Oral Hearings
Blind Person’s Pension	3	-	2	5
Carers Allowance	844	85	550	1,479
Carers Benefit	8	2	5	15
Child Benefit	23	12	34	69
Disability Allowance	1,305	51	487	1,843
Illness Benefit	82	3	68	153
Partial Capacity Benefit	5	-	5	10
Domiciliary Care Allowance	263	7	109	379
Deserted Wives Benefit	4	1	3	8
Farm Assist	23	26	29	78
Liable Relatives	-	-	1	1
Family Income Supplement	32	5	20	57
Invalidity Pension	347	4	109	460
Maternity Benefit	9	1	4	14
One Parent Family Payment	49	15	50	114
State Pension (Contributory)	16	6	32	54
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	45	20	53	118
State Pension (Transition)	1	1	1	3
Occupational Injury Benefit	9	1	6	16
Disablement Pension	101	10	63	174
Incapacity Supplement	1	1	3	5
Guardian's Payment (Con)	9	1	5	15
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con)	8	1	2	11
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means)	136	56	182	374
Jobseeker's Allowance	225	59	221	505
Jobseeker's Transitional	3	1	8	12
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance	1	-	2	3
Jobseeker's Benefit	54	14	41	109
Carer’s Support Grant *	20	2	11	33
Insurability of Employment	17	2	28	47
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	178	25	133	336
Survivor's Pension (Con)	9	5	6	20
Survivor's Pension (Non-con)	3	1	2	6
Widows Parent Grant	-	-	1	1
All Appeals	3,833	418	2,276	6.527

* Previously called Respite Care Grant.