Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 December 2022
248. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the average processing time for applications for exceptional needs payments; the steps that she is taking to shorten the waiting times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62847/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Welfare Service (CWS) is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
Approximately 70% of Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) applications are processed within four weeks.
If an application is urgent, every effort is made to ensure the person receives a payment on the same day. Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent as to require an immediate response. Approximately 9% of Community Welfare Services (CWS) payments to customers across the country are made on this basis, which shows just how responsive the service is to an urgent customer need.
Applications which take longer than four weeks, usually relate to cases where additional information or documentation has been requested from the applicant confirming the essential nature of the expense or the person’s inability to cover the expense from their normal income. This can result in longer processing times for these applications as greater flexibility is given to clients with extended time to respond. Upon receipt of this information, the application will then be processed quickly.
I have taken a number of steps to manage the increased level of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) applications and improve service capacity, including:
- I recently secured agreement for some 74 additional staff to be assigned to the CWS. Recruitment has commenced and it is anticipated that staff will be in place by Q1 2023.
- In the interim until the staff have been recruited, 30 Social Welfare Inspectors have been temporarily reassigned to the CWS since the start of November to assist with claims processing.
- The introduction of a national CWS freephone line means that clients don't have to attend an office in person to make a claim or an enquiry.
- The rostering of staff ensures there is a full-time CWO presence in over 50 offices nationwide.
- The establishment of a back-office support team, to take-on the more routine administrative tasks associated with claim processing, frees up front-line CWOs to deal directly with client and their claims.
- The establishment of a national CWS Response Team, which is the primary resource in responding to pressure points and surges in demand for community welfare services.
- In addition, the Department is well advanced in the development of an online claim option.
These changes mean that the CWS is in stronger position than it would otherwise have been to respond to the increase in service demand.
The number of applications for ENPs has slowed in recent weeks. This can likely be attributed to the €1.2 billion which has been paid out under the eight lump sum payments since the Budget.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
