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Social Welfare Appeals Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019

Tuesday, 15 January 2019

Questions (1113)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

1113. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number and percentage of appeals that were upheld on re-examination by the social welfare appeals office in 2017 and 2018 for all payments and benefits under her remit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1535/19]

View answer

Written answers

The following tables provide details of the outcome of all appeals by scheme for the years 2017 and 2018.

The figures provided for appeals which had a favourable outcome for the appellant relate to appeals which were either allowed in full or in part by an Appeals Officer, or were resolved by way of a revised decision in favour of the appellant by a Deciding Officer/Designated Person.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

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 incorrect. It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person. This was the case in 37.6% of favourable appeal outcomes in 2017 and 31.5% of favourable appeal outcomes in 2018.

Where the decision was not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Outcome of Appeals by Category 2017

AllowedBy Appeals Officers

Partially Allowed By Appeals Officers

Revised DO/DP Decision

Disallowed ByAppeals Officers

Withdrawn

Total

State Pension (Non-Contributory)

7521.9%

349.9%

7822.7%

12837.3%

288.2%

343

State Pension (Contributory)

359.9%

123.4%

7621.5%

21861.6%

133.7%

354

State Pension (Transition)

133.3%

-

-

266.7%

-

3

Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Contributory)

825.8%

-

722.6%

15 48.4%

13.2%

31

Death Benefit

-

-

-

1100.0%

-

1

Bereavement Grant

1100.0%

-

-

-

-

1

Jobseeker’s Allowance - Payments

34922.2%

664.2%

30919.6%

66542.3%

184 11.7%

1,573

Jobseeker’s Transitional

1027.0%

410.8%

1027.0%

616.2%

718.9%

37

Jobseeker’s Allowance -Means

18712.9%

825.6%

26418.2%

70848.7%

212 14.6%

1,453

One Parent Family Payment

6726.1%

197.4%

5421.0%

6726.1%

5019.5%

257

Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Non-Contributory)

730.4%

4 17.4%

3 13.0%

939.1%

-

23

Supplementary Welfare Allowance

30422.5%

342.5%

22917.0%

60244.6%

18013.3%

1,349

Farm Assist

2215.5%

1812.7%

2819.7%

6042.3%

14 9.9%

142

Pre-Retirement Allowance

-

-

1100.0%

-

-

1

Jobseeker’s Benefit

8317.3%

214.4%

11724.4%

20643.0%

5210.9%

479

Deserted Wife’s Benefit

240.0%

1 20.0%

-

240.0%

-

5

Maternity Benefit

1014.1%

34.2%

811.3%

4969.0%

11.4%

71

Paternity Benefit

112.5%

-

337.5%

337.5%

112.5%

8

Adoptive Benefit

-

-

-

2100.0%

-

2

Treatment Benefits

-

-

-

1100.0%

-

1

Partial Capacity Benefit

1533.3%

12.2%

1124.4%

1431.1%

4 8.9%

45

Disability Allowance

2,97560.3%

701.4%

56311.4%

1,21124.5%

1152.3%

4,934

Blind Pension

16.7%

16.7%

320.0%

746.7%

320.0%

15

Carer’s Allowance

1,20435.2%

1614.7%

78022.8%

1,19935.1%

722.1%

3,416

Domiciliary Care Allowance

29737.1%

101.2%

34342.8%

13516.9%

162.0%

801

Carer’s Support Grant

3522.6%

21.3%

4529.0%

7246.5%

10.6%

155

Illness Benefit

11823.0%

81.6%

14027.2%

18936.8%

5911.5%

514

Injury Benefit

37.9%

-

25.3%

2771.1%

615.8%

38

Invalidity Pension

36527.1%

70.5%

69151.3%

26219.4%

231.7%

1,348

Disablement Benefit

8634.4%

197.6%

3012.0%

10943.6%

62.4%

250

Incapacity Supplement

3 30.0%

1 10.0%

3 30.0%

3 30.0%

-

10

Medical Care

-

-

150.0%

150.0%

-

2

Carer’s Benefit

2322.1%

21.9%

3937.5%

3735.6%

32.9%

104

Child Benefit

6815.5%

235.3%

15435.2%

17840.6%

153.4%

438

Family Income Supplement

7615.1%

153.0%

26753.1%

13025.8%

153.0%

503

Back To Work Family Dividend

7 17.1%

-

49.8%

2561.0%

5 12.2%

41

Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)

533.3%

16.7%

213.3%

746.7%

-

15

Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)

1339.4%

26.1%

4 12.1%

1442.4%

-

33

Widowed Parent Grant

-

-

-

2 100.0%

-

2

Insurability

3424.5%

4 2.9%

117.9%

3726.6%

53 38.1%

139

Liable Relatives

-

423.5%

-

1164.7%

2 11.8%

17

Recoverable Benefits & Assistance

311.5%

-

311.5%

2076.9%

-

26

TOTAL APPEALS

6,49334.2%

6293.3%

4,28322.6%

6,43433.9%

1,1416.0%

18,980

Outcome of Appeals by Category 2018

AllowedBy Appeals Officers

Partially Allowed By Appeals Officers

Revised DO/DP Decision

Disallowed ByAppeals Officers

Withdrawn

Total

State Pension (Non-Contributory)

8523.4%

298.0%

7019.3%

14439.7%

359.6%

363

State Pension (Contributory)

359.5%

92.5%

6417.4%

24466.5%

154.1%

367

Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Contributory)

1845.0%

-

2 5.0%

14 35.0%

615.0%

40

Death Benefit

-

-

-

1100.0%

-

1

Bereavement Grant

-

-

-

1100.0%

-

1

Jobseeker’s Allowance - Payments

28018.0%

996.4%

25116.1%

78550.4%

141 9.1%

1,556

Jobseeker’s Transitional

919.1%

510.6%

919.1%

1838.3%

612.8%

47

Jobseeker’s Allowance -Means

15010.4%

835.8%

19413.5%

83658.1%

176 12.2%

1,439

One Parent Family Payment

4720.4%

135.7%

4620.0%

8336.1%

4117.8%

230

Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Non-Contributory)

423.5%

2 11.8%

-

1058.8%

15.9%

17

Deserted Wife’s Allowance

1100.0%

-

-

-

-

1

Supplementary Welfare Allowance

25824.6%

292.8%

17917.1%

46744.6%

11410.9%

1,047

Farm Assist

1411.7%

11 9.2%

1815.0%

6251.7%

1512.5%

120

Pre-Retirement Allowance

1 50.0%

150.0%

-

-

-

2

Jobseeker’s Benefit

10918.3%

335.5%

12921.6%

27045.3%

55 9.2%

596

Deserted Wife’s Benefit

350.0%

-

-

350.0%

-

6

Maternity Benefit

611.1%

-

1324.1%

3463.0%

11.9%

54

Paternity Benefit

1 6.3%

1 6.3%

-

1487.5%

-

16

Treatment Benefits

-

-

-

2100.0%

2

Partial Capacity Benefit

1650.0%

-

2 6.3%

1340.6%

1 3.1%

32

Disability Allowance

3,11262.2%

992.0%

462 9.2%

1,25625.1%

771.5%

5,006

Blind Pension

214.3%

214.3%

321.4%

642.9%

1 7.1%

14

Carer’s Allowance

1,04738.6%

1445.3%

44016.2%

98936.5%

903.3%

2,710

Domiciliary Care Allowance

68643.6%

130.8%

59037.5%

25816.4%

251.6%

1,572

Carer’s Support Grant

2820.0%

53.6%

3525.0%

6848.6%

42.9%

140

Illness Benefit

11122.4%

112.2%

16433.1%

18236.8%

27 5.5%

495

Injury Benefit

1021.3%

-

612.8%

2961.7%

2 4.3%

47

Invalidity Pension

45841.9%

80.7%

32229.4%

27325.0%

333.0%

1,094

Disablement Benefit

11635.3%

185.5%

32 9.7%

15848.0%

51.5%

329

Incapacity Supplement

4 80.0%

-

-

1 20.0%

-

5

Medical Care

-

-

-

1100.0%

-

1

Carer’s Benefit

3223.4%

42.9%

5238.0%

4633.6%

32.2%

137

Child Benefit

6214.6%

184.2%

14634.3%

17942.0%

214.9%

426

Working Family Payment*

5915.3%

184.7%

17344.8%

11630.1%

205.2%

386

Back To Work Family Dividend

4 8.5%

-

1225.5%

2655.3%

5 10.6%

47

Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)

111.1%

1 11.1%

222.2%

555.6%

-

9

Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)

729.2%

14.2%

2 8.3%

1458.3%

-

24

Widowed Parent Grant

-

-

1 20.0%

4 80.0%

-

5

Insurability

2526.3%

3 3.2%

33.2%

5153.7%

13 13.7%

95

Liable Relatives

-

-

1 20.0%

240.0%

2 40.0%

5

Recoverable Benefits & Assistance

1 4.3%

2 8.7%

2 8.7%

1878.3%

-

23

TOTAL APPEALS

6,80236.8%

6623.6%

3,42518.5%

6,68136.1%

9375.1%

18,507

* Previously known as Family Income Supplement

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