Written answers
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Department of Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times
Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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81. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the action her Department has taken to reduce and streamline processing times for social protection payments with a view to minimising hardship on those awaiting the outcome of applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33446/14]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible. Each scheme area is continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure customers are responded to as quickly as possible. In this regard, the Department has had major success in clearing backlogs especially in the disability related schemes. The Table below provides details of processing times for each of the Department’s schemes in July 2014.
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 investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision making process.
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.
Table: Claim processing times - July 2014
| Scheme | Average weeks to award |
|---|---|
| State Pension (contributory) | 5 |
| State Pension (transition) | 6 |
| Widow(er)’s Pension (contributory) | 1 |
| One Parent Family | 15 |
| Household Benefits | 1 |
| Bereavement Grant | 12 |
| Invalidity Pension | 30 (Average weeks to award figure includes claims which are awarded following a review and/or appeal process following initial disallowance. Excluding the effect of these claims, the average time taken to decide a new Invalidity Pension claim in August is estimated as 7 weeks ) |
| Family Income Supplement - New Claims | 5 (In general, renewal FIS claims are currently processed in advance of previous claim expiry and new FIS claims are processed within 3 weeks of receipt) |
| Disability Allowance | 25 (Average weeks to award figure includes claims which are awarded following a review and/or appeal process following initial disallowance. Excluding the effect of these claims, the average time taken to decide a new Disability Allowance claim in August is estimated as 13 weeks) |
| Carer’s Allowance | 40 (Average weeks to award figure includes claims which are awarded following a review and/or appeal process following initial disallowance. Excluding the effect of these claims, the average time taken to decide a new Carers Allowance claim in August is estimated as 13 weeks) |
| Jobseeker’s Benefit | 1 |
| Jobseeker’s Allowance | 2 |
| Illness Benefit | 1 |
| Maternity Benefit | 2 (In July 97% of Maternity Benefit claims were awarded 2 weeks prior to the commencement of maternity leave) |
| Child Benefit | 1 |
| - Domestic | 1 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 11 |
| Back to Education Allowance | Applicants for BTEA are already in receipt of another social welfare payment before a decision is made on their entitlement to the Allowance |
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