Written answers
Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Department of Social Protection
Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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167. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the time taken to process applications for various social protection payments has improved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1532/16]
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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A breakdown of the average time, where available, to award claims at the end of December in each of the years 2006 to 2014 and at the end of November 2015 is detailed in the tabular statement below.
It should be noted that processing times vary by scheme reflecting the differing requirements to satisfy conditions such as income/means limits and medical eligibility. The processing times provided in the table for Disability Allowance, Carer’s Allowance and Invalidity Pension from 2006 to 2013 incorporate the impact on overall processing times of the appeals process.
Average Weeks to Award Received Claims 2006 to November 2015
| Scheme | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Non-Contributory)(2) | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 13 | N/a |
| State Pension (Contributory) | N/a | N/a | 16 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| State Pension (Transition) | N/a | N/a | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | N/a |
| Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Bereavement Grant - Sligo(1) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | N/a |
| Bereavement Grant - Longford(1) | 5 | N/a | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | N/a |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| One-Parent Family Payment | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 7 |
| Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non-Contributory Pension | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 11 | N/a |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Disability Allowance(2) | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 28 | 12 | 13 |
| Carer's Allowance(2) | 10 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 8 | N/a | N/a | 30 | 13 | 17 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 7 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 12 |
| Illness Benefit | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Invalidity Pension(2) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 13 | N/a | 35 | 51 | 10 | 7 |
| Child Benefit - Domestic & Formerly Resident Abroad | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Child Benefit - EU Regulation | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 51 | 38 | 28 | 26 | 28 |
| Family Income Supplement - New Claims | N/a | N/a | 13 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Family Income Supplement - Claim Renewals | N/a | N/a | 5 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 5 | N/a |
| Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Household Benefits | N/a | N/a | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Free Travel | N/a | N/a | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
(1)Bereavement Grant Scheme discontinued in January 2014
(2) Average times to award are published based on July/August to December in respect of these schemes
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