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Dept of Social Security

Answer

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) initial applications, (b) renewal claims, (c) reviews and (d) appeals for Disability Living Allowance were cleared outside the target clearance times in each month of 1998; and how many (i) initial applications, (ii) renewal claims, (iii) reconsiderations, (iv) supersessions and (v) appeals for Disability Living Allowance were cleared outside the target clearance times in each month of 2000. [160684] Mr. Bayley: The information is in the tables. Disability Living Allowance: Numbers and percentages of cases cleared in 1998 which were outside target clearance times _________________________________________________________________________________________________. New claims Renewals Reviews within three Reviews outside three Appeals months{ 1} months{ 2} Month Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage January 5,306 14 2,503 14 3,291 16 1,936 13 489 10 February 4,585 14 2,202 12 2,730 15 1,572 13 512 12 March 3,746 11 2,315 13 2,652 15 1,534 13 424 8 April 2,545 8 2,147 15 2,018 13 1,004 11 274 7 May 2,704 9 2,440 18 1,557 12 890 11 324 8 June 3,072 9 3,002 19 1,906 12 1,288 12 378 9 July 3,207 9 3,304 20 1,909 12 1,618 15 432 10 August 3,038 10 3,047 23 1,858 14 1,631 17 368 10 September 3,446 11 4,332 26 1,972 13 1,994 17 394 10 October 4,054 13 3,563 20 2,014 13 2,056 16 516 12 November 6,353 18 3,566 20 2,227 15 2,053 17 431 11 December 4,991 17 2,744 19 1,730 15 1,411 15 349 11 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Cases where the existing decision may be changed from the date it came into effect {2} Cases where the existing decision may be superseded from a later date Disability Living Allowance: Numbers and percentages of cases cleared in 2000 which were outside target clearance times _________________________________________________________________________________________________. New claims Renewals Reconsiderations{ 1} Supersessions{ 1} Appeals Month Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage January 8,514 30 7,004 43 469 7 650 21 1,303 34 February 10,448 32 7,422 43 2,186 25 2,935 41 2,405 45 March 9,860 28 7,250 36 4,271 39 6,269 53 3,648 52 April 3,134 12 1,907 11 1,460 18 2,711 21 2,470 42 May 3,852 11 1,990 10 1,728 16 3,021 18 3,355 43 June 5,003 12 2,556 12 1,319 12 2,741 15 3,840 45 July 5,194 13 2,291 8 1,093 9 2,896 14 3,776 38 August 5,408 14 1,317 8 912 8 2,024 13 3,594 30 September 4,655 13 1,153 7 701 7 1,740 13 3,946 34 October 4,161 12 1,258 7 764 7 1,795 13 3,842 29 November 3,566 10 705 4 745 7 1,377 10 2,719 21 December 2,194 9 642 5 446 6 892 9 1,379 19 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Reconsiderations and supersessions replaced reviews under the new system of decision making and appeals which was introduced from October 1999 The number of people who receive Disability Living Allowance continues to increase. Significant backlogs of work accrued in the processing of this benefit last year, because of the growing case load and introduction of a new system of decision making and appeals. The Benefits Agency tackled the backlog as a priority and it has now been substantially cleared. The continuing high level of appeals cleared outside of the target clearance time reflects in the numbers received following the introduction of the new procedures.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

368 c388-90W;368 c388-9W; 160684

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Disability living allowance Appeals Applications Administrative delays

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk