Over half million claims processed in Social Welfare offices in first 10 months of the year

Latest processing times for Jobseekers claims were published today by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. In October, 3 out of every 4 claims for Jobseekers Benefit were processed within 3 weeks and 2 out of every 3 claims for the means tested payment Jobseekers Allowance were processed within 6 weeks.

Commenting on the figures, Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin T.D., said "each and every week we are seeing over 10,000 people claim Jobseeker payments and in October even greater numbers signed off to take up employment, enter training or education, begin self employment or due to outward migration."

In the past 10 months, staff in Local Offices around the country have received some 536,000 claims for Jobseeker payments as compared with 296,000 in all of 2007. More than 53,000 claims are processed in the Local Offices each month."

The current national average processing times is just over 3 weeks for Jobseekers Benefit and 7 weeks for Jobseekers Allowance.

Minister Hanafin said that there were still backlogs in processing claims in some offices and this was something the Department is urgently addressing through measures such as the new process of fast tracking of claims currently being operated in 20 offices, which it is planned to extend to more offices in the coming months.

Other process improvements which have been implemented in recent months include the setting up of a new streamlined process for people who had a claim in the previous two years, new Central Support Units which solely decide Jobseekers claims and an improved procedure for those moving from Jobseeker's Benefit to Jobseeker's Allowance.

Minister Hanafin went on to say "despite this, there are a small number of offices where further work is needed to bring processing times within more acceptable limits and the Department is working on this as a key priority."

Particular difficulties arose in October in dealing with claims for Jobseekers Allowance in the Castlepollard Branch Office which are decided by officers in the Mullingar Local Office resulting in a significant deterioration in the normal level of service provided by this office. "Claims from this branch office and a number of others will continue to be the focus of particular attention in the coming weeks" said Minister Hanafin.

PRESS RELEASE ENDS

Processing Times October 2009

Jobseeker's Benefit National Average Time to Decide: 3.14

Jobseeker's Allowance National Average Time to Decide: 7.38

SWLO (LO):  Social Welfare Local Office. These offices are operated and managed by staff of the Department of Social and Family Affairs

SWBO (BO): Social Welfare Branch Office. These offices are operated and managed, under a contract for services, by a Branch Manager who is required to act as an agent for the Department in the area served by the office. Branch Managers are responsible for employing their own staff and the Department has no function in this regard.

JB: Jobseeker's Benefit
JA: Jobseeker's Allowance