Social Welfare Benefits Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2018

Wednesday, 17 January 2018

Ceisteanna (212)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

212. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that applied for a social welfare payment in 2017; the percentage that were refused a payment; the percentage that were successful on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2245/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

The information requested by the Deputy is detailed where available in the attached tabular statements.

Overall, 60.1% (11,405) of appeals finalised in 2017 had a favourable outcome for the appellant, i.e. were either allowed in full or in part, or resolved by way of a revised decision by a Deciding Officer.

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 wrong.

Where new evidence is provided with an appeal the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer as was the case in 37.6% of favourable outcomes for appeals in 2017.

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

Claims processed in 2017 for all available schemes

2017	Claims Pending Start of Year	Registered	Awarded	Rejected	% of Cleared Claims Rejected	Cleared
State Pension Contributory (Irish)	3,593	36,672	26,212	9,442	23%	40,743
State Pension Non-Contributory	1,762	9,187	7,577	2,139	19%	11,039
Jobseeker's Benefit	3,562	129,241	118,076	2,459	2%	134,905
Jobseeker's Allowance	5,955	155,854	124,790	10,238	6%	162,168
One-Parent Family Payment	1,001	11,452	8,741	725	6%	11,360
Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension	288	7,599	5,695	1,240	17%	7,370
Maternity Benefit	3,953	44,227	45,621	1,570	3%	48,149
Disability Allowance	6,058	22,538	15,814	14,800	47%	31,592
Illness Benefit	2,273	209,750	154,692	50,083	24%	209,719
Invalidity Pension	2,034	9,454	7,691	5,070	37%	13,800
Carer's Allowance	4,461	18,152	14,378	7,920	33%	24,186
Child Benefit (Domestic & FRA)	1,524	32,448	31,301	674	2%	32,100
Child Benefit (EU Regulation)	1,298	3,473	3,009	716	19%	3,783
Family Income Supplement (New Claims)	1,780	31,191	21,779	9,208	30%	30,987
Family Income Supplement (Renewals)	695	42,714	31,130	11,538	27%	42,668
Household Benefits	3,177	75,593	56,020	18,030	21%	85,878
Total		839,545	672,526	145,852	16%	890,447

Outcome of Appeals by category 2017

-	Allowed by Appeals Officer	Partially Allowed by Appeals Officer	Revised Deciding Officer’s Decision	Disallowed	Withdrawn	Total
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	75 21.9%	34 9.9%	78 22.7%	128 37.3%	28 8.2%	343
State Pension (Contributory	35 9.9%	12 3.4%	76 21.5%	218 61.6%	13 3.7%	354
State Pension (Transition)	1 33.3%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	2 66.7%	- 0.0%	3
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Contributory)	8 25.8%	- 0.0%	7 22.6%	15 48.4%	1 3.2%	31
Death Benefit	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	1 100.0%	- 0.0%	1
Bereavement Grant	1 100.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	1
Jobseeker’s Allowance - Payments	349 22.2%	66 4.2%	309 19.6%	665 42.3%	184 11.7%	1,573
Jobseeker’s Transitional	10 27.0%	4 10.8%	10 27.0%	6 16.2%	7 18.9%	37
Jobseeker’s Allowance -Means	187 12.9%	82 5.6%	264 18.2%	708 48.7%	212 14.6%	1,453
One Parent Family Payment	67 26.1%	19 7.4%	54 21.0%	67 26.1%	50 19.5%	257
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Non-Contributory)	7 30.4%	4 17.4%	3 13.0%	9 39.1%	- 0.0%	23
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	304 22.5%	34 2.5%	229 17.0%	602 44.6%	180 13.3%	1,349
Farm Assist	22 15.5%	18 12.7%	28 19.7%	60 42.3%	14 9.9%	142
Pre-Retirement Allowance	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	1 100.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	1
Jobseeker’s Benefit	83 17.3%	21 4.4%	117 24.4%	206 43.0%	52 10.9%	479
Deserted Wife’s Benefit	2 40.0%	1 20.0%	- 0.0%	2 40.0%	- 0.0%	5
Maternity Benefit	10 14.1%	3 4.2%	8 11.3%	49 69.0%	1 1.4%	71
Paternity Benefit	1 12.5%	- 0.0%	3 37.5%	3 37.5%	1 12.5%	8
Adoptive Benefit	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	2 100.0%	- 0.0%	2
Treatment Benefits	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	1 100.0%	- 0.0%	1
Disability Allowance	2,975 60.3%	70 1.4%	563 11.4%	1,211 24.5%	115 2.3%	4,934
Blind Pension	1 6.7%	1 6.7%	3 20.0%	7 46.7%	3 20.0%	15
Partial Capacity Benefit	15 33.3%	1 2.2%	11 24.4%	14 31.1%	4 8.9%	45

	Allowed by Appeals Officer	Partially Allowed by Appeals Officer	Revised Deciding Officer’s Decision	Disallowed	Withdrawn	Total
Carer’s Allowance	1204 35.2%	161 4.7%	780 22.8%	1,199 35.1%	72 2.1%	3,416
Domiciliary Care Allowance	297 37.1%	10 1.2%	343 42.8%	135 16.9%	16 2.0%	801
Carers Support Grant	35 22.6%	2 1.3%	45 29.0%	72 46.5%	1 0.6%	155
Illness Benefit	118 23.0%	8 1.6%	140 27.2%	189 36.8%	59 11.5%	514
Injury Benefit	3 7.9%	- 0.0%	2 5.3%	27 71.1%	6 15.8%	38
Invalidity Pension	365 27.1%	7 0.5%	691 51.3%	262 19.4%	23 1.7%	1,348
Disablement Benefit	86 34.4%	19 7.6%	30 12.0%	109 43.6%	6 2.4%	250
Incapacity Supplement	3 30.0%	1 10.0%	3 30.0%	3 30.0%	- 0.0%	10
Medical Care	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	1 50.0%	1 50.0%	- 0.0%	2
Carer’s Benefit	23 22.1%	2 1.9%	39 37.5%	37 35.6%	3 2.9%	104
Child Benefit	68 15.5%	23 5.3%	154 35.2%	178 40.6%	15 3.4%	438
Family Income Supplement	76 15.1%	15 3.0%	267 53.1%	130 25.8%	15 3.0%	503
Back To Work Family Dividend	7 17.1%	- 0.0%	4 9.8%	25 61.0%	5 12.2%	41
Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)	5 33.3%	1 6.7%	2 13.3%	7 46.7%	- 0.0%	15
Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)	13 39.4%	2 6.1%	4 12.1%	14 42.4%	- 0.0%	33
Widowed Parent Grant	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	- 0.0%	2 100.0%	- 0.0%	2
Insurability	34 24.5%	4 2.9%	11 7.9%	37 26.6%	53 38.1%	139
Liable Relative’s	- 0.0%	4 23.5%	- 0.0%	11 64.7%	2 11.8%	17
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance	3 11.5%	- 0.0%	3 11.5%	20 76.9%	- 0.0%	26
TOTAL APPEALS	6,493 34.2%	629 3.3%	4,283 22.6%	6,434 33.9%	1,141 6.0%	18,890