Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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17. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the percentage of applicants refused a social welfare payment who did not go to Appeals Office for the years 2013 and 2014; the reason for the high percentage of applicants that do not go through the appeals process after a disallowance of payment; if this is due to the fact that applicants are not aware of their entitlement to appeal and are therefore losing out on an opportunity to claim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9337/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Each year in the Department decisions are made on approximately two million claims across a range of schemes. The deciding officers (DOs) and Designated Persons (DPs) who make these decisions are very conscious of their obligations to customers. Every effort is made to ensure that people receive any entitlements due to them and that information and services are provided in a timely and customer-friendly manner.

DOs and DPs will assist customers in making their applications but, as a matter of law, the burden of providing evidence to support a claim rests with customers.

Excluding decisions on certain administrative schemes, the Department cleared 2,062,177 claims in 2013. Of these, 1,744,076 or 85% were awarded. The remaining 318,101 claims were either disallowed by the Department or withdrawn by the client.

A total of 32,777 appeals were lodged with the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) in 2013. However, it should be noted that this figure includes all appeals and not just those where an initial claim was disallowed by the Department. There would also be appeals on ongoing cases, for example, if there was a fresh means assessment leading to a reduction in payment that could also be appealed to the SWAO.

Provisional data indicate that the Department cleared 1,869,630 claims in 2014, again excluding decisions on certain administrative schemes. Of these, 1,569,045 or 84% were awarded. The remaining 300,585 claims were either disallowed by the Department or withdrawn by the client. In 2014, 26,069 appeals were lodged with the SWAO.

Customers who are not satisfied with the initial decision on their claim are entitled to seek either an internal review or to appeal to the SWAO and are they advised of this when the decision on their claim is communicated to them. In addition, scheme booklets and guidelines published by the Department also explain that people have a right of review and appeal.

The Department does not have any information as to why some people do not avail of the option to have their claim reviewed or to lodge an appeal with the SWAO but it is satisfied that customers are advised of their right to this. It may be that many are then satisfied, based on the information from the Department, that they do not have an entitlement to a payment.