As already stated, the Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. The average time taken to award a carer's allowance application is 28 weeks at present, however individual cases may vary. Some will be processed more quickly, others will take longer. In particular, where a customer requests a review of an initial decision to refuse an application, this will take additional time.
In determining entitlement to the allowance, in certain cases unavoidable time lags are involved in making the necessary investigations and inquiries to enable accurate decisions to be made. Delays can also arise if those applying for the allowance are not in a position to supply all the necessary information in support of their claim.
The staff and other resources available to the Department are regularly reviewed with a view to ensuring claims are processed as quickly as possible. I acknowledge that the time taken to process carer's allowance claims is not satisfactory but I am satisfied that the Department is taking appropriate steps to resolve the situation.