Half a million welfare claims processed in a year
More than half a million social welfare claims were processed last year as unemployment soared, it emerged today.
A further 155,000 people applied for benefits in the first three months of the year – an 80% jump on the same period in 2008.
The Department of Social and Family Affairs said almost a quarter of a million people have also visited its website in recent months, twice as many as usual.
Live Register figures for April showed a record 384,448, or 11.4% of the workforce, were claiming jobless benefits. The ESRI warned this level could hit 17% next year.
Social Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin said social welfare staff throughout the country are working flat out to meet the demand.
“There is no doubt that the increasing Live Register numbers is having an impact on the services we are providing to people,” said Ms Hanafin.
“Many customers are visiting social welfare offices and accessing the website for the first time in their working lives to seek information on their entitlements.
“While some areas of the country are seeing delays in processing the huge numbers of claims for jobseekers payments, we are looking all the time at improving our processes in local and branch offices.
“We will continue to seek to make improvements in order to reduce waiting times for deciding on claims.”
Minister Hanafin revealed claims processed in local offices were around 509,000 in 2008, up from just under 360,000 a year earlier.
She said an additional 246 staff have been assigned to local offices and the inspectorate, while four central decisions units have been established and a further three similar units are planned.
Ms Hanafin said responding to increasing numbers of customers’ needs and improving productivity through technology is a key priority.
She launched a new customer charter which states the standards of service people can expect from her department.
A customer action plan also sets out the department’s aims and actions for the next three years.
“Delivering a quality customer service to all our citizens, who access services from the cradle to the grave, is the daily challenge for the staff at the department,” the minister added.
“While every effort is being made to process claims as quickly as possible, it is essential that a quality customer service is accompanied by an effective control programme which ensures that the appropriate checks are made at the point of claim so as to prevent and minimise the risk of fraud.”
