Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2018
554. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications for various social welfare payments that have been refused in each of the past five years to date; the number referred for appeal; the extent to which appeals overturned the original decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26901/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of refused applications, by scheme, for the past five years, and the number of appeals received in the same years, by outcome, are shown in the following tables.
Refused applications by scheme, 2013-2018
|
Scheme |
Jan-May 2018 |
2017 |
2016 |
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
|
Illness Benefit |
20,445 |
44,709 |
46,118 |
50,083 |
61,165 |
37,615 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
1,050 |
2,019 |
1,682 |
1,470 |
1,832 |
1,061 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
582 |
1,570 |
1,370 |
1,568 |
1,458 |
1,343 |
|
Paternity Benefit* |
168 |
542 |
115 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Child Benefit Domestic |
346 |
674 |
801 |
682 |
549 |
623 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
N/avail |
16,863 |
17,728 |
23,495 |
24,719 |
27,333 |
|
Working Family Payment (New) |
3,808 |
10,042 |
8,915 |
9,208 |
7,225 |
10,082 |
|
Working Family Payment (Renewals) |
7,112 |
17,512 |
14,188 |
11,538 |
3,149 |
2,787 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
3,802 |
8,599 |
11,144 |
7,920 |
7,078 |
9,881 |
|
Disability Allowance |
5,364 |
12,022 |
12,027 |
14,800 |
12,621 |
14,691 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
1,938 |
4,579 |
3,909 |
5,070 |
5,496 |
8,546 |
|
State Pension Contributory (Irish) |
3,682 |
9,442 |
9,051 |
9,099 |
7,404 |
6,991 |
|
Widow(er's) Contributory Pension |
476 |
1,240 |
1,436 |
1,361 |
1,250 |
1,263 |
|
State Pension Non-Contributory |
872 |
2,139 |
2,332 |
2,188 |
2,350 |
2351 |
|
Living Alone/Island Allowance |
679 |
1,347 |
1,557 |
1,403 |
1,406 |
1,245 |
|
Free Travel |
1,055 |
2,193 |
2,552 |
2,103 |
2,447 |
2,268 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
896 |
2,187 |
1,683 |
2,102 |
2,024 |
2,442 |
|
Household Benefits |
6,997 |
18,030 |
16,806 |
17,282 |
14,459 |
16,030 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance Total |
3,011 |
19,043 |
18,673 |
18,741 |
22,116 |
26,265 |
|
Of which, Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
1,120 |
2819 |
2,693 |
2,671 |
2,850 |
3,413 |
*Paternity Benefit introduced on 1 September 2016
Appeals received and Outcome Decisions of Appeals Finalised (2013 – 2018)
|
Appeals |
|||||
|
Appeal Receipts |
Finalised |
Favourable Decisions |
Appeals Disallowed |
Withdrawn |
|
|
2013 |
32,777 |
38,421 |
21,139 |
14,985 |
2,297 |
|
2014 |
26,069 |
31,211 |
17,636 |
11,751 |
1,824 |
|
2015 |
24,475 |
25,406 |
14,946 |
9,167 |
1,293 |
|
2016 |
22,461 |
23,220 |
13,754 |
8,336 |
1,130 |
|
2017 |
19,658 |
18,980 |
11,405 |
6,434 |
1,141 |
|
2018 (to 31/5/2018) |
7,566 |
7,562 |
4,346 |
2, 781 |
435 |
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.
The figures provided in the tables for appeals which had a favourable outcome for the appellant relate to appeals which were either allowed in full or in part by an Appeals Officer, or which were resolved by way of a revised decision in favour of the appellant by a Deciding Officer/Designated Person.
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 incorrect. It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person. This was the case in 37.1% of favourable appeal outcomes in 2016 (5,100 cases), 37.6% of favourable appeal outcomes in 2017 (4,283 cases) and 34.7% of favourable appeals to date in 2018 (1,507 cases).
Where the decision was not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.
