Written answers

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Carer's Allowance Waiting Times

Photo of Aindrias MoynihanAindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

532. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the waiting times to process applications for carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53499/18]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed as quickly as possible.

Where any scheme area experiences delays, all possible steps are taken to improve processing times. This includes the assignment of additional resources, where available, and the review of business processes, to ensure the efficient processing of applications.

In general, social welfare schemes with a number of complex qualifying conditions can take longer to process.

To qualify for carer's allowance, the carer must show that they are habitually resident in the State, that they are providing full-time care and attention to a person who requires this level of care and that their means are less than the statutory limit.

At the end of November 2018 the average waiting time for a decision on a new carer's allowance claim was 16 weeks.

This showed an improvement on the October figure of 17 weeks and was achieved by the re-assignment of staff from other areas of the Longford Centralised Schemes Office to claims processing in October. I expect that this improvement will continue over the coming weeks.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.