Written answers
Wednesday, 17 January 2018
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits Data
Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that applied for a social welfare payment in 2017; the percentage that were refused a payment; the percentage that were successful on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2245/18]
Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is detailed where available in the attached tabular statements.
Overall, 60.1% (11,405) of appeals finalised in 2017 had a favourable outcome for the appellant, i.e. were either allowed in full or in part, or resolved by way of a revised decision by a Deciding Officer.
There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was wrong.
Where new evidence is provided with an appeal the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer as was the case in 37.6% of favourable outcomes for appeals in 2017.
Where the decision is not revised in the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, an Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of an appeal.
Claims processed in 2017 for all available schemes
| 2017 | Claims Pending Start of Year | Registered | Awarded | Rejected | % of Cleared Claims Rejected | Cleared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension Contributory (Irish) | 3,593 | 36,672 | 26,212 | 9,442 | 23% | 40,743 |
| State Pension Non-Contributory | 1,762 | 9,187 | 7,577 | 2,139 | 19% | 11,039 |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | 3,562 | 129,241 | 118,076 | 2,459 | 2% | 134,905 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | 5,955 | 155,854 | 124,790 | 10,238 | 6% | 162,168 |
| One-Parent Family Payment | 1,001 | 11,452 | 8,741 | 725 | 6% | 11,360 |
| Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension | 288 | 7,599 | 5,695 | 1,240 | 17% | 7,370 |
| Maternity Benefit | 3,953 | 44,227 | 45,621 | 1,570 | 3% | 48,149 |
| Disability Allowance | 6,058 | 22,538 | 15,814 | 14,800 | 47% | 31,592 |
| Illness Benefit | 2,273 | 209,750 | 154,692 | 50,083 | 24% | 209,719 |
| Invalidity Pension | 2,034 | 9,454 | 7,691 | 5,070 | 37% | 13,800 |
| Carer's Allowance | 4,461 | 18,152 | 14,378 | 7,920 | 33% | 24,186 |
| Child Benefit (Domestic & FRA) | 1,524 | 32,448 | 31,301 | 674 | 2% | 32,100 |
| Child Benefit (EU Regulation) | 1,298 | 3,473 | 3,009 | 716 | 19% | 3,783 |
| Family Income Supplement (New Claims) | 1,780 | 31,191 | 21,779 | 9,208 | 30% | 30,987 |
| Family Income Supplement (Renewals) | 695 | 42,714 | 31,130 | 11,538 | 27% | 42,668 |
| Household Benefits | 3,177 | 75,593 | 56,020 | 18,030 | 21% | 85,878 |
| Total | 839,545 | 672,526 | 145,852 | 16% | 890,447 |
Outcome of Appeals by category 2017
| - | Allowed by Appeals Officer | Partially Allowed by Appeals Officer | Revised Deciding Officer’s Decision | Disallowed | Withdrawn | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | 75 21.9% | 34 9.9% | 78 22.7% | 128 37.3% | 28 8.2% | 343 |
| State Pension (Contributory | 35 9.9% | 12 3.4% | 76 21.5% | 218 61.6% | 13 3.7% | 354 |
| State Pension (Transition) | 1 33.3% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 2 66.7% | - 0.0% | 3 |
| Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Contributory) | 8 25.8% | - 0.0% | 7 22.6% | 15 48.4% | 1 3.2% | 31 |
| Death Benefit | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 1 100.0% | - 0.0% | 1 |
| Bereavement Grant | 1 100.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 1 |
| Jobseeker’s Allowance - Payments | 349 22.2% | 66 4.2% | 309 19.6% | 665 42.3% | 184 11.7% | 1,573 |
| Jobseeker’s Transitional | 10 27.0% | 4 10.8% | 10 27.0% | 6 16.2% | 7 18.9% | 37 |
| Jobseeker’s Allowance -Means | 187 12.9% | 82 5.6% | 264 18.2% | 708 48.7% | 212 14.6% | 1,453 |
| One Parent Family Payment | 67 26.1% | 19 7.4% | 54 21.0% | 67 26.1% | 50 19.5% | 257 |
| Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Non-Contributory) | 7 30.4% | 4 17.4% | 3 13.0% | 9 39.1% | - 0.0% | 23 |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance | 304 22.5% | 34 2.5% | 229 17.0% | 602 44.6% | 180 13.3% | 1,349 |
| Farm Assist | 22 15.5% | 18 12.7% | 28 19.7% | 60 42.3% | 14 9.9% | 142 |
| Pre-Retirement Allowance | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 1 100.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 1 |
| Jobseeker’s Benefit | 83 17.3% | 21 4.4% | 117 24.4% | 206 43.0% | 52 10.9% | 479 |
| Deserted Wife’s Benefit | 2 40.0% | 1 20.0% | - 0.0% | 2 40.0% | - 0.0% | 5 |
| Maternity Benefit | 10 14.1% | 3 4.2% | 8 11.3% | 49 69.0% | 1 1.4% | 71 |
| Paternity Benefit | 1 12.5% | - 0.0% | 3 37.5% | 3 37.5% | 1 12.5% | 8 |
| Adoptive Benefit | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 2 100.0% | - 0.0% | 2 |
| Treatment Benefits | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 1 100.0% | - 0.0% | 1 |
| Disability Allowance | 2,975 60.3% | 70 1.4% | 563 11.4% | 1,211 24.5% | 115 2.3% | 4,934 |
| Blind Pension | 1 6.7% | 1 6.7% | 3 20.0% | 7 46.7% | 3 20.0% | 15 |
| Partial Capacity Benefit | 15 33.3% | 1 2.2% | 11 24.4% | 14 31.1% | 4 8.9% | 45 |
| Allowed by Appeals Officer | Partially Allowed by Appeals Officer | Revised Deciding Officer’s Decision | Disallowed | Withdrawn | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carer’s Allowance | 1204 35.2% | 161 4.7% | 780 22.8% | 1,199 35.1% | 72 2.1% | 3,416 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 297 37.1% | 10 1.2% | 343 42.8% | 135 16.9% | 16 2.0% | 801 |
| Carers Support Grant | 35 22.6% | 2 1.3% | 45 29.0% | 72 46.5% | 1 0.6% | 155 |
| Illness Benefit | 118 23.0% | 8 1.6% | 140 27.2% | 189 36.8% | 59 11.5% | 514 |
| Injury Benefit | 3 7.9% | - 0.0% | 2 5.3% | 27 71.1% | 6 15.8% | 38 |
| Invalidity Pension | 365 27.1% | 7 0.5% | 691 51.3% | 262 19.4% | 23 1.7% | 1,348 |
| Disablement Benefit | 86 34.4% | 19 7.6% | 30 12.0% | 109 43.6% | 6 2.4% | 250 |
| Incapacity Supplement | 3 30.0% | 1 10.0% | 3 30.0% | 3 30.0% | - 0.0% | 10 |
| Medical Care | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 1 50.0% | 1 50.0% | - 0.0% | 2 |
| Carer’s Benefit | 23 22.1% | 2 1.9% | 39 37.5% | 37 35.6% | 3 2.9% | 104 |
| Child Benefit | 68 15.5% | 23 5.3% | 154 35.2% | 178 40.6% | 15 3.4% | 438 |
| Family Income Supplement | 76 15.1% | 15 3.0% | 267 53.1% | 130 25.8% | 15 3.0% | 503 |
| Back To Work Family Dividend | 7 17.1% | - 0.0% | 4 9.8% | 25 61.0% | 5 12.2% | 41 |
| Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory) | 5 33.3% | 1 6.7% | 2 13.3% | 7 46.7% | - 0.0% | 15 |
| Guardian’s Payment (Contributory) | 13 39.4% | 2 6.1% | 4 12.1% | 14 42.4% | - 0.0% | 33 |
| Widowed Parent Grant | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | - 0.0% | 2 100.0% | - 0.0% | 2 |
| Insurability | 34 24.5% | 4 2.9% | 11 7.9% | 37 26.6% | 53 38.1% | 139 |
| Liable Relative’s | - 0.0% | 4 23.5% | - 0.0% | 11 64.7% | 2 11.8% | 17 |
| Recoverable Benefits & Assistance | 3 11.5% | - 0.0% | 3 11.5% | 20 76.9% | - 0.0% | 26 |
| TOTAL APPEALS | 6,493 34.2% | 629 3.3% | 4,283 22.6% | 6,434 33.9% | 1,141 6.0% | 18,890 |
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