Written answers

Tuesday, 19 February 2019

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Appeals Data

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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640. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications awaiting a decision in respect of the various social welfare entitlements; the number on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8434/19]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy (where available) is in the following tabular statements. The first table details both the number of claims pending at the end of the month and the number of appeals on hand for those schemes. The second table details the number of appeals on hand for additional schemes where, as a result of IT system limitations, the number of pending claims cannot be determined. 

Tabular statement.

SchemePending 31 January 2019Appeals on Hand at 31 January 2019
State Pension (Contributory)3,874200
Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension 68925
State Pension (Non-Contributory)924217
Jobseekers Allowance4,2791,856
Jobseekers Benefit2,064332
One-Parent Family Payment714182
Supplementary Welfare Allowance BASI594395
Maternity Benefit1,39021
Paternity Benefit2,0157
Carer's Allowance3,9111,527
Carer's Benefit78974
Disability Allowance5,3741,789
Invalidity Pension2,491859
Illness Benefit959273
Occupational Injury Benefit1,72333
Child Benefit1,598300
Widowed Parent Grant182
Working Family Payment5,158219
Domiciliary Care Allowance1,138695
Household Benefits2,357N/avail
Free Travel6N/avail
SchemeAppeals on Hands at 31 January 2019
Blind Person’s Pension5
Partial Capacity Benefit68
Deserted Wives Benefit6
Farm Assist53
Bereavement Grant1
Liable  Relatives2
Disablement Pension206
Medical Care3
Incapacity Supplement6
Guardian's Payment (Contributory)11
Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)4
BTW Family Dividend17
Carer’s Support Grant 59
Widowed Parent Grant2
Widow(er)'s Pension Non-con14
Treatment Benefits1

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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641. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which original decisions are overturned on appeal in respect of the various categories of social welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8435/19]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The following table provides details of the outcome of all appeals by scheme for 2018.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. 

18,507 appeals were finalised in 2018. Appeals which had a favourable outcome for the appellant consist of appeals which were either allowed in full or in part by an Appeals Officer (a total of 7,464 or 40.3%) or which were resolved by way of a revised decision in favour of the appellant by a Deciding Officer/Designated Person (a total of 3,425 or 18.5%).  The 7,464 appeals which were either allowed in full or in part by an Appeals Officer constitute 52.8% of the 14,145 appeals finalised by Appeals Officers in 2018.

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 incorrect. It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person.

Where the decision was not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds and in addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they meet the appellant in person at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Outcome of Appeals by Category 2018

Allowed By Appeals OfficersPartially Allowed By Appeals OfficersRevised DO/DP DecisionDisallowed By Appeals OfficersWithdrawnTotal
State Pension (Non-Contributory)85

23.4%
29

8.0%
70

19.3%
144

39.7%
35

9.6%
363
State Pension (Contributory)35

9.5%
9

2.5%
64

17.4%
244

66.5%
15

4.1%
367
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Contributory)18

45.0%
-

2

5.0%
14

35.0%
6

15.0%
40
Death Benefit-

-

-

1

100.0%
-

1
Bereavement Grant-

-

-

1

100.0%
-1
Jobseeker’s Allowance - Payments280

18.0%
99

6.4%
251

16.1%
785

50.4%
141

9.1%
1,556
Jobseeker’s Transitional9

19.1%
5

10.6%
9

19.1%
18

38.3%
6

12.8%
47
Jobseeker’s Allowance -Means150

10.4%
83

5.8%
194

13.5%
836

58.1%
176

12.2%
1,439
One Parent Family Payment47

20.4%
13

5.7%
46

20.0%
83

36.1%
41

17.8%
230
Widow’s/Widower’s Pension (Non-Contributory)4

23.5%
2

11.8%
-10

58.8%
1

5.9%
17
Deserted Wife’s Allowance1

100.0%
-

---1
Supplementary Welfare Allowance258

24.6%
29

2.8%
179

17.1%
467

44.6%
114

10.9%
1,047
Farm Assist14

11.7%
11

9.2%
18

15.0%
62

51.7%
15

12.5%
120
Pre-Retirement Allowance1 50.0%1

50.0%
-

-

-2
Jobseeker’s Benefit109

18.3%
33

5.5%
129

21.6%
270

45.3%
55

9.2%
596
Deserted Wife’s Benefit3

50.0%
-

-

3

50.0%
-

6
Maternity Benefit6

11.1%
-

13

24.1%
34

63.0%
1

1.9%
54
Paternity Benefit1

6.3%
1 6.3%-

14

87.5%
-

16
Treatment Benefits---2

100.0%
2
Partial Capacity Benefit16

50.0%
-

2

6.3%
13

40.6%
1

3.1%
32
Disability Allowance3,112

62.2%
99

2.0%
462

9.2%
1,256

25.1%
77

1.5%
5,006
Blind Pension2

14.3%
2

14.3%
3

21.4%
6

42.9%
1

7.1%
14
Carer’s Allowance1,047

38.6%
144

5.3%
440

16.2%
989

36.5%
90

3.3%
2,710
Domiciliary Care Allowance686

43.6%
13

0.8%
590

37.5%
258

16.4%
25

1.6%
1,572
Carer’s Support Grant28

20.0%
5

3.6%
35

25.0%
68

48.6%
4

2.9%
140
Illness Benefit111

22.4%
11

2.2%
164

33.1%
182

36.8%
27

5.5%
495
Injury Benefit10

21.3%
-

6

12.8%
29

61.7%
2

4.3%
47
Invalidity Pension458

41.9%
8

0.7%
322

29.4%
273

25.0%
33

3.0%
1,094
Disablement Benefit116

35.3%
18

5.5%
32

9.7%
158

48.0%
5

1.5%
329
Incapacity Supplement4

80.0%
-

-

1

20.0%
-

5
Medical Care--

-

1

100.0%
-

1
Carer’s Benefit32

23.4%
4

2.9%
52

38.0%
46

33.6%
3

2.2%
137
Child Benefit62

14.6%
18

4.2%
146

34.3%
179

42.0%
21

4.9%
426
Working Family Payment*59

15.3%
18

4.7%
173

44.8%
116

30.1%
20

5.2%
386
Back To Work Family Dividend4

8.5%
-

12

25.5%
26

55.3%
5

10.6%
47
Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)1

11.1%
1

11.1%
2

22.2%
5

55.6%
-

9
Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)7

29.2%
1

4.2%
2

8.3%
14

58.3%
-

24
Widowed Parent Grant-

-

1

20.0%
4

80.0%
-

5
Insurability25

26.3%
3

3.2%
3

3.2%
51

53.7%
13

13.7%
95
Liable Relatives-

-

1

20.0%
2

40.0%
2

40.0%
5
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance1

4.3%
2

8.7%
2

8.7%
18

78.3%
-

23
TOTAL  APPEALS6,802

36.8%
662

3.6%
3,425

18.5%
6,681

36.1%
937

5.1%
18,507

* Previously known asFamily Income Supplement

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