My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all customers, ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible and that backlogs of claims are kept to a minimum. All schemes operate to published processing times which are subject to ongoing monitoring and review. Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the differing qualification criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of illness-related schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested payments can also require more detailed investigations and interaction with the customer, thereby lengthening the decision- making process.
Recent data across a number of schemes is outlined in the following table:
Scheme
|
Target
|
Reference period
|
April performance
|
State Pension Contributory
|
90%
|
Date of entitlement
|
90%
|
Jobseekers Allowance
|
90%
|
Within 6 weeks
|
97%
|
Carer's allowance
|
75%
|
Within 11 weeks
|
97%
|
Disability Allowance
|
75%
|
Within 10 weeks
|
95%
|
Illness Benefit
|
90%
|
Within 1 week
|
81%
|
Child Benefit
|
90%
|
Within 4 weeks
|
75%
|
Household Benefits
|
90%
|
Within 4 weeks
|
99%
|
As part of the Department’s programme of service delivery modernisation, a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology, have been implemented in recent years. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.
In addition, the staffing needs of the Department are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.