Written answers
Tuesday, 13 December 2022
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Payments
Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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421. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current average processing times for all social welfare payments; the number of applications received for each payment; the number of applications processed to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62201/22]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department understands the many pressures faced by customers and always seeks to ensure that claims are processed quickly and efficiently.
Processing times for new applications vary across schemes, depending on the differing qualification criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of illness-related schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested payments can also require more detailed investigations and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision-making process. Delays can also arise if information is required from social security organisations in other jurisdictions and where additional information has been requested from the applicant but remains outstanding.
I am pleased to report that claim processing targets are currently being met for all of the Department's primary schemes. My department continues to ensure that customer service is maintained at a high level.
| Scheme | Average Processing Times (Weeks) | Applications Received Jan to end Oct | Total Processed Jan to end Oct |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Contributory) | 6 | 35,024 | 31,938 |
| Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension | 1 | 7,282 | 7,199 |
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | 6 | 10,647 | 12,222 |
| Jobseekers Allowance | 1 | 91,658 | 91,724 |
| Jobseekers Benefit | 1 | 110,164 | 113,848 |
| One-Parent Family Payment | 3 | 11,762 | 9,019 |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance Basi | 1 | 47,943 | 47,252 |
| Maternity Benefit | 6 | 35,584 | 37,018 |
| Paternity Benefit | 6 | 23,792 | 24,846 |
| Parent's Benefit | 1 | 65,398 | 66,598 |
| Carer's Allowance | 5 | 19,313 | 21,721 |
| Carer's Benefit | 7 | 4,405 | 4,305 |
| Disability Allowance | 7 | 21,699 | 25,224 |
| Invalidity Pension | 7 | 7,325 | 9,139 |
| Illness Benefit | 1 | 697,305 | 715,597 |
| Occupational Injury Benefit | 1 | 8,678 | 9,320 |
| Child Benefit | 2 | 28,972 | 26,593 |
| Working Family Payment | 4 | 29,980 | 30,687 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 6 | 9,047 | 10,109 |
| Household Benefits | 1 | 69,224 | 70,804 |
| Treatment Benefit | 0 | 1,340,850 | 1,340,850 |
In recent years, my Department has introduced a wide range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximized.
In addition, the staffing needs of the Department are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy
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