Departmental Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2022

Thursday, 7 July 2022

Questions (244, 245)

Denis Naughten

Question:

244. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for social welfare assistance claims that were granted and refused, granted on review, granted on appeal by scheme in the last available year for which figures are available in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36869/22]

Denis Naughten

Question:

245. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for social welfare benefit claims that were granted and refused, granted on review, granted on appeal by scheme in the last available year for which figures are available in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36870/22]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.

My Department does not distinguish between claims awarded following registration, claims awarded and subsequently disallowed or on claims that are awarded following review. Detailed information on claims awarded, claims rejected, claims withdrawn and total claims registered are available in the Annual Statistics report at www.gov.ie/dsp/statistics.

Claims awarded on appeal are managed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office which functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded by the Department and approximately 2% are appealed.

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.

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

Table 1 below shows the outcome of appeals finalised by assistance scheme in 2021.

	Allowed	Partially Allowed	Revised Decision	Disallowed	With drawn	Total
Jobseeker’s Allowance - Payments	181	40	233	577	144	1,175
Jobseeker’s Allowance -Means	65	33	141	506	146	891
Jobseeker’s Transitional	11	6	20	38	18	93
Farm Assist	6	4	12	41	9	72
One Parent Family Payment	56	10	56	98	29	249
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Non-Contributory)	1	0	3	8	0	12
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	182	27	121	486	70	886
Disability Allowance	2,611	101	643	2,178	42	5,575
Blind Pension	0	2	1	14	0	17
Carer’s Allowance	886	95	519	1,743	24	3,267
Domiciliary Care Allowance	533	25	484	338	5	1,385
Working Family Payment	106	10	610	300	95	1,121
Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)	3	2	1	10	-	16

Table 2 below shows the outcome of appeals finalised by benefit in 2021.

Benefit	Allowed	Partially Allowed	Revised Decision	Disallowed	With drawn	Total
State Pension (Contributory	29	7	58	241	9	344
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Contributory)	5	2	11	38	5	61
Jobseeker’s Benefit	96	93	242	562	109	1,102
Jobseeker’s Benefit Over 65	11	-	7	121	7	146
Jobseeker’s Benefit Self Employed	3	0	4	14	4	25
Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment	14	2	1,984	630	35	2,665
Deserted Wife’s Benefit	3	-	1	2	-	6
Maternity Benefit	4	3	21	30	1	59
Paternity Benefit	3	2	17	14	0	36
Parent’s Benefit	0	0	4	2	0	6
Partial Capacity Benefit	42	-	14	81	12	149
Illness Benefit	33	10	433	202	49	727
Injury Benefit	15	1	13	32	18	79
Invalidity Pension	869	5	439	675	19	2,007
Disablement Benefit	79	18	41	169	4	311
Incapacity Supplement	-	-	1	1	-	2
Medical Care	-	-	1	2	-	3
Carer’s Benefit	58	3	97	119	4	281

Question No. 245 answered with Question No. 244.