Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 March 2018
587. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average waiting time for a decision on appeal for social protection payments paid on a weekly basis in cases in which there is no oral hearing and in which there is an oral hearing in each of the years 2012 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13757/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe tables provide the details which have been requested by the Deputy for the years 2012 to 2017 and to the end of February 2018. They only include the appeal processing times for schemes paid on a weekly basis.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and 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 are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all claims are awarded and just 1% are appealed. Nevertheless, the Department is concerned that these cases are dealt with as quickly as possible.
Accordingly, significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, appeal processing times in respect of all schemes improved between 2011 and 2017 from 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2011 to 26.4 weeks in 2017 and from 25.1 weeks for a summary decision in 2011 to 19.8 weeks in 2017.
The time taken to process an appeal reflects a number of factors including that the appeals process is a quasi-judicial process with appeals officers being required to decide all appeals on a ‘de-novo’ basis. In addition, appeals decisions are themselves subject to review by the higher courts and decisions have to be formally written up to quasi-judicial standards.
Other factors that influence appeals processing times include the quality of the initial decision – in this respect the Department has changed the decisions process in respect of medical schemes, in order to provide more information to the claimant. I expect that this will help to reduce the number of appeals over time.
In addition, a number of new appeals officers have joined the Appeals Office over the past year, to replace staff leaving on retirement. Given the complexity of the appeals process it takes some time for new staff to be trained up and develop expertise. This changeover in staff led to longer times to conclude appeals in 2017 and this has continued in the first two months of 2018. However, the Chief Appeals Officer has advised that she is hopeful that processing times will improve over the course of 2018.
Finally, it should be noted that an appellant can claim supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of their appeal and that any favourable decisions are backdated to the original date of the claim.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeals Processing Times by Weekly Paid Scheme 01/01/2012 – 31/12/2012
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Adoptive Benefit |
27.7 |
40.4 |
|
Blind Pension |
24.4 |
34.7 |
|
Carers Allowance |
33.5 |
42.5 |
|
Carers Benefit |
27.3 |
35.3 |
|
Disability Allowance |
34.2 |
40.6 |
|
Illness Benefit |
41.9 |
50.3 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
27.6 |
45.4 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
24.5 |
39.5 |
|
Farm Assist |
23.4 |
44.9 |
|
Family Income Supplement * |
22.8 |
31.2 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
38.8 |
48.7 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
29.4 |
44.6 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
30.8 |
41.7 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
33.2 |
59.4 |
|
State Pension (Non-Con) |
27.7 |
51.1 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
25.1 |
49.1 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
19.5 |
66.9 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit (Medical) |
78.7 |
87.4 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
14.2 |
48.8 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
25.8 |
49.1 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
32.0 |
58.8 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
54.6 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
22.8 |
38.2 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
24.4 |
34.4 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
20.9 |
30.8 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
17.6 |
22.9 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Contributory) |
27.1 |
60.5 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non- Contributory) |
30.9 |
39.1 |
* Now known as Working Family Payment
tables ctd.
Appeals Processing Times by Weekly Paid Scheme 01/01/2013 - 31/12/2013
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Adoptive Benefit |
34.2 |
- |
|
Blind Pension |
24.6 |
16.1 |
|
Carers Allowance |
27.9 |
33.5 |
|
Carers Benefit |
22.5 |
27.4 |
|
Disability Allowance |
29.0 |
36.2 |
|
Illness Benefit |
37.4 |
43.3 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
31.6 |
26.1 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
12.2 |
- |
|
Farm Assist |
23.0 |
28.2 |
|
Family Income Supplement* |
30.7 |
41.0 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
35.0 |
42.5 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
29.4 |
38.3 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
28.4 |
50.0 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
39.2 |
38.1 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
26.4 |
44.5 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
26.8 |
41.9 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
23.7 |
43.2 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
36.1 |
54.1 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
25.8 |
60.8 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
21.9 |
44.9 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
45.5 |
27.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
21.2 |
29.7 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
20.5 |
26.7 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
21.1 |
28.9 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
17.1 |
24.1 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Contributory) |
26.4 |
39.2 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-Con) |
28.0 |
38.5 |
* Now known as Working Family Payment
Appeals Processing Times by Weekly Paid Scheme 01/01/2014 - 31/12/14
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Adoptive Benefit |
17.1 |
- |
|
Blind Pension |
20.5 |
24.9 |
|
Carers Allowance |
30.1 |
34.4 |
|
Carers Benefit |
22.9 |
23.1 |
|
Disability Allowance |
20.8 |
26.7 |
|
Illness Benefit |
29.5 |
34.8 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
- |
64.7 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
- |
41.8 |
|
Farm Assist |
23.2 |
28.3 |
|
Family Income Supplement* |
26.0 |
32.6 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
25.9 |
31.2 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
24.4 |
33.5 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
22.4 |
44.7 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
48.5 |
48.5 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
25.2 |
41.9 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
20.3 |
29.4 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
27.0 |
35.1 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
33.6 |
33.7 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
21.5 |
59.6 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
25.9 |
24.9 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
19.7 |
30.3 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
17.3 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
18.1 |
27.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
16.2 |
21.1 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
16.7 |
21.1 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
14.4 |
22.1 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Contributory) |
20.2 |
32.5 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-Con) |
24.7 |
24.6 |
* Now known as Working Family Payment
tables ctd.
Appeals Processing Times by Weekly Paid Scheme 01/01/2015 – 31/12/2015
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Blind Person’s Pension |
21.1 |
30.7 |
|
Carers Allowance |
20.6 |
25.9 |
|
Carers Benefit |
19.7 |
21.8 |
|
Disability Allowance |
15.8 |
21.4 |
|
Illness Benefit |
26.3 |
33.1 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
25.7 |
43.4 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
19.7 |
26.2 |
|
Deserted Wives Allowance |
- |
16.2 |
|
Farm Assist |
21.0 |
28.6 |
|
Family Income Supplement* |
19.4 |
27.7 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
26.2 |
28.4 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
22.6 |
17.5 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
22.9 |
33.9 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
26.0 |
46.0 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
20.4 |
30.8 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
80.1 |
53.4 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
20.3 |
35.0 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
41.2 |
51.5 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
18.2 |
27.5 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
18.7 |
31.0 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
15.8 |
26.0 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
15.2 |
21.9 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
14.1 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
12.9 |
21.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
14.3 |
21.2 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
15.0 |
- |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
13.1 |
23.5 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Contributory) |
24.1 |
46.6 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-Contributory) |
23.7 |
38.3 |
* Now known as Working Family Payment
Appeals Processing Times by Weekly Paid Scheme 01/01/2016 – 31/12/2016
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Blind Person’s Pension |
18.2 |
33.8 |
|
Carers Allowance |
17.6 |
21.6 |
|
Carers Benefit |
20.7 |
22.4 |
|
Disability Allowance |
14.6 |
20.1 |
|
Illness Benefit |
27.2 |
34.3 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
27.3 |
33.6 |
|
Deserted Wives Benefit |
13.0 |
32.8 |
|
Farm Assist |
21.9 |
26.0 |
|
Family Income Supplement* |
20.4 |
25.5 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
21.3 |
28.2 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
18.9 |
21.7 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
21.7 |
31.9 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
25.6 |
45.9 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
22.7 |
32.9 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
67.7 |
61.3 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
25.0 |
31.9 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
27.7 |
50.9 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
15.8 |
24.5 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
18.4 |
23.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
16.7 |
25.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
16.0 |
20.9 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
21.0 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
19.0 |
22.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
16.0 |
27.2 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
15.0 |
24.1 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Contributory) |
16.6 |
28.8 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non- Con) |
18.4 |
23.4 |
* Now known as Working Family Payment
Appeals Processing Times by Weekly Paid Scheme 01/01/2017 – 31/12/2017
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Adoptive Benefit |
13.4 |
- |
|
Blind Person’s Pension |
20.1 |
24.4 |
|
Carers Allowance |
21.7 |
24.0 |
|
Carers Benefit |
17.8 |
21.3 |
|
Disability Allowance |
17.3 |
24.1 |
|
Illness Benefit |
28.0 |
30.6 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
33.3 |
35.7 |
|
Deserted Wifes Benefit |
13.1 |
27.7 |
|
Farm Assist |
20.7 |
25.8 |
|
Family Income Supplement* |
22.9 |
34.6 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
16.9 |
23.7 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
18.8 |
19.3 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
18.3 |
- |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
26.1 |
34.7 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
32.1 |
45.7 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
25.9 |
35.3 |
|
State Pension (Transition) |
60.4 |
- |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
20.0 |
26.4 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
47.8 |
37.2 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
23.7 |
27.0 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
16.0 |
23.1 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
19.6 |
27.3 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
18.3 |
24.8 |
|
BTW Family Dividend |
19.8 |
27.5 |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
22.1 |
23.2 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
20.6 |
24.2 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
16.4 |
25.8 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Contributory) |
23.0 |
44.7 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-Con) |
23.3 |
24.7 |
* Now known as Working Family Payment
Appeal Processing Times by Weekly Paid Scheme 01 January 2018 - 28 February 2018
|
Average processing times (weeks) Summary Decisions |
Average processing times (weeks) Oral Hearings |
|
|
Carers Allowance |
23.8 |
27.8 |
|
Carers Benefit |
22.4 |
30.8 |
|
Disability Allowance |
20.4 |
25.5 |
|
Illness Benefit |
30.5 |
43.3 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
26.3 |
22.2 |
|
Farm Assist |
26.8 |
53.1 |
|
Working Family Payment |
28.7 |
28.4 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
26.5 |
24.6 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
20.7 |
51.3 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
29.8 |
- |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
30.5 |
34.9 |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
38.9 |
50.7 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
31.9 |
45.2 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
39.4 |
44.0 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Con) |
36.8 |
- |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con) |
4.7 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means) |
30.4 |
37.4 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance (Payments) |
24.6 |
32.6 |
|
Back To Work Family Dividend |
29.9 |
- |
|
Jobseeker's Transitional |
- |
38.3 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
- |
29.9 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
22.7 |
26.0 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
23.8 |
25.5 |
|
Survivor's Pension (Contributory) |
34.2 |
- |
|
Survivor's Pension (Non-Con) |
- |
32.7 |
