asked the Minister for Social Welfare (a) the average time taken, in general, to arrange and consider an appeal on the decision of a deciding officer refusing a social welfare payment to an applicant; (b) the number of appeals that were held in 1984 on the decisions of deciding officers who had refused (i) unemployment assistance, (ii) non-contributory old age pensions and (iii) disability benefit, to applicants; (c) the number of appeals held in each category; and (d) the number of these appeals which were successful in each category.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Statistics.
658.
Statistics in relation to the length of time taken to arrange and process appeals on decisions of deciding officers are not maintained in the Department. Because of the increasing number of claims and appeals in practically all the Department's schemes and services there has been some disimprovement in the times taken to process applications. The delay can vary with the case in question and appeals which are decided summarily are normally disposed of within shorter timescales than those involving oral hearings. A further factor which can be a source of delay is that before an appeals officer decides a case, he may ask for a further examination of the claim by a social welfare officer or a medical referee of the Department.
During 1984 a total of 4,116 appeals, in respect of unemployment assistance, non-contributory old age pension and disability benefit were decided as follows:
|
Category |
Number Decided |
Number Successful |
|
Unemployment Assistance |
668 |
215 |
|
Non-contributory Old Age Pension |
2,233 |
not available |
|
Disability Benefit |
1,215 |
507 |
A portion of the appeals in relation to non-contributory old age pensions arose from appeals on the part of social welfare officers against decisions of pension committees.
659.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people receiving prescribed relative's allowance on 1 March 1984, 1983, 1982 and 1981.
The numbers of prescribed relative allowances in payment in the years in question were: 1981, 2,850; 1982, 2,905; 1983, 2,640; 1984, 2,505.
These figures relate to the number of pensioners in receipt of prescribed relative allowance in June for each of the years concerned as the number receiving the allowance at 1 March is not available for all pensions.
660.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of applicants who were refused a non-contributory old age pension nationally during 1984, 1983, 1982 and 1981.
It is estimated that the numbers of applications for non-contributory old age pension, which were refused or withdrawn during each of the years concerned, are as follows: 1981, 4,800; 1982, 4,450; 1983, 3,600; 1984, 2,550. These figures represent the difference between the number of claims received and the number of awards made and they include claimants who did not wish to pursue a claim after having made an application and also claimants who may have applied more than once during a year. There are no separate figures available for these categories of claimants.
661.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of applicants who were refused unemployment assistance nationally during 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.
Statistics are not maintained in a manner which would enable the information requested by the Deputy to be furnished.
662.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Louth was debarred from payment of unemployment assistance for a second time; and in view of the difficult financial circumstances involved if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned was disallowed by a deciding officer for the receipt of unemployment assistance for the periods 31 May 1982 to 5 June 1982 and 14 June 1982 to 12 October 1982, as he was employed during those periods. Legal proceedings were subsequently taken against him and at the court hearing of his case on 14 December 1984 he was convicted on a charge of concurrently working and signing. A consequence of his conviction was that in accordance with section 144 (3) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981, he was disqualified for the receipt of unemployment assistance for a period of six months following the date of the conviction.
663.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position with regard to an application for a non-contributory old age pension made to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is entitled to an old age pension at the weekly rate of £8.60 from 15 February 1984, which increased to £11.30 from 6 July 1984. This is the rate to which she is entitled having regard to the assessment of her means consisting of the weekly value of capital and profit from a shop, the transfer of which has not been accepted for pension purposes. The appropriate pension book payable from 1 February 1985 issued on 5 March 1985 and a payable order covering arrears of pension due from 15 February 1984 to 31 January 1985 issued 11 March 1985.
664.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in arriving at a decision in the social welfare case of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at £38.10 weekly the appropriate rate £72.25 less means £34.15. His means are derived from the profit from his holding and from the value of capital.
His claim was reinvestigated recently and his means have been reassessed at £23.25 weekly effective from 4 January 1985. He is accordingly entitled to £49 weekly the appropriate rate £72.25 less means £23.25. All adjusting arrears due to him will be paid this week and weekly payment of £49 will continue to be made as they become due.
665.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of applicants on disability benefit who were deemed to be fit for work by medical referees in 1984, 1983, 1982 and 1981.
Figures in respect of claimants for disability or occupational injury benefit who were deemed to be capable of work following medical referee examination in the periods concerned are as follows:
|
Year |
Deemed Capable |
% of those examined |
|
1984 |
13,372 |
26 |
|
1983 |
13,592 |
27 |
|
1982 |
9,926 |
25 |
|
1981 |
8,446 |
21 |
666.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 23 May 1984 to 1 January 1985 after which she ceased to sign as unemployed. Extensive inquiries have been made to establish her contribution record and these reveal that she has insufficient contribution weeks registered as paid or credited during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1982 to 5 April 1983 to be entitled to unemployment benefit.
667.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the early payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
The entitlement of the person concerned could not be determined until investigations by the social welfare officer to enable his means to be assessed were completed. The social welfare officer made a number of void calls to his home address before being able to interview him and inquiries in the matter were only recently completed.
His claim has now been decided and he has been assessed with nil means. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £29.95 weekly the appropriate rate payable to him. All arrears due were paid on 24 January 1985 and weekly payments of £29.95 will continue to be made as they become due.
668.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned made two claims to disability benefit in 1984. He was not entitled to benefit initially as according to the records of the Department he had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment. He subsequently submitted details of his employment record confirming that he has sufficient contributions registered to qualify for payment of benefit. Benefit has recently been issued on the second of the two claims in respect of the period 30 April to 19 May 1984.
In connection with his first claim from 23 March 1984 he submitted only one medical certificate indicating that he was incapable of work and efforts to establish the duration of his incapacity have been unsuccessful. He was requested to submit medical evidence for the period of his incapacity and when it is received this claim will be dealt with without delay.
669.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if arrears of unemployment assistance payments will be issued to a person and his common-law wife (details supplied) in County Wexford on a joint basis in the same manner as they are being paid now in view of the fact that they were not advised they should make a joint application for unemployment assistance.
Following the recent completion of inquiries, arrears of unemployment assistance for an adult dependant and one qualified child have been allowed with effect form 27 January 1984 to 4 September 1984. All arrears due, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced, will be paid this week.
670.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who is in receipt of disability benefit will be considered for invalidity pension payments in view of the permanent nature of his incapacity.
Invalidity pension is payable in place of disability benefit to insured persons who satisfy the contribution conditions and who are permanently incapable of work. The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since 19 October 1981 and payment is being made at regular weekly intervals. Arrangements are being made to have him examined by a medical referee. His entitlement to invalidity pension will be reviewed in the light of the report of this examination.
671.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance payments will be increased for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The unemployment claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to furnish details of his means he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. He appealed against the disallowance and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer to afford him a further opportunity to disclose his means before his case is referred to an appeals officer for consideration. In the meantime he is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his appeal.
672.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will award a non-contributory old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned whose husband died in April 1972, claimed a widow's non-contributory pension on 29 January 1985 and the local social welfare officer was requested to investigate her financial circumstances. He is at present awaiting from her a copy of a deed of transfer of the family farm holding to her son and when a report on the case is received, a decision will be given without delaye and the claimant will be notified.
673.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) who is in receipt of disability benefit is entitled to pay-related benefit; and, if so, when this will be issued.
The person concerned is entitled to pay-related benefit on his claim from 21 January 1985, the nineteenth day of incapacity, at the weekly rate of £19.27. There was a delay caused by an administrative error in issuing payment of pay-related benefit. This error has now been rectified and the arrears of benefit due have been issued.
674.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of employees who will come under the increase in the earnings ceiling from £13,000 to £13,800; and the amount that will be contributed to the social insurance fund as a result of this increase in the ceiling.
The number of employees affected by the increase in the earnings ceiling from £13,000 to £13,800 is estimated at 130,000. The additional yield to the social insurance fund will be approximately £13 million in the 1985-86 contribution year which ends on 5 April 1986.
675.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of moneys his Department anticipate saving as a result of increasing from £43 to £49 the amount of weekly earnings disregarded in calculating pay-related benefit.
The new floor in calculating pay-related benefit entitlements will apply to all new periods of interruption of employment commencing on or after 1 April 1985. The saving in 1985 arising from this increase is estimated at £2.08 million.
676.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is not in receipt of disability benefit.
Where a person has less than 156 contributions paid since entry into insurable employment, entitlement to disability benefit is limited to 52 weeks. According to the records of the Department the person concerned has only 140 contributions paid on her behalf since entry into insurance. She was paid disability benefit from 3 January 1983 to 14 May 1983 and from 8 August 1983 to 24 March 1984 after which date her 52 week entitlement became exhausted.
In order to requalify for disability benefit it will be necessary for her to have at least a further 13 weeks of insurable employment for which the appropriate contributions are paid.
677.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when his Department will return receipts to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry concerning his unemployment assistance.
The file containing details of the unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned is at present in transit to headquarters from his local office. When the file reaches headquarters the receipts referred to by the Deputy will be returned to the applicant by post.