Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
671. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason social welfare applications that are successful but delayed in processing are not being backdated automatically to the date of initial application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35633/23]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing a quality service to all customers, ensuring that claims are processed as quickly as possible and that delays are kept to a minimum.
Delays can arise where people submit an application without all of the necessary supporting documentation. It is important that anyone applying for social welfare payments should provide as much information as possible when sending in their claim. This will enable a decision to be made more quickly for them.
In cases where there is a delay in processing a claim, my Department's schemes award from the date the application is received, providing that all of the qualifying criteria are met and that the person has an entitlement to the payment at the time of application. In certain circumstances, an application may be backdated to a date before the application was received.
The following schemes may differ in their approach in some circumstances, as outlined below.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment. On award,DCA will be paid from the first day of the month following the date of receipt of application.
Child Benefit is a monthly payment. The scheme area record the date the claim is received as the date of application. When the claim is received, Child Benefit will be paid from the first Tuesday of the month after the child is born or becomes a member of the family or after the family takes up residence in Ireland. If a claim is made late, it is paid from the first day of the month after the claim is received.
Maternity, Paternity, Parents, Adoptive and Health & Safety Benefit are schemes where the customer selects the date of commencement and, therefore, this is the date from which the decision applies. The schemes process claims in the order of the leave commencement date in order to avoid delays.
I am happy to look into any particular case the deputy may wish to address.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
