294. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals to carer’s allowance refusals received in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022. 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of appeals that were successful in each year; and the number of appeals in which the original decision was upheld in each year. [39895/24]

The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision-making functions.

All decisions taken by Deciding Officers / Designated Persons of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection in relation to Carers' Allowance are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. Applications for Carers' Allowance may be disallowed because the applicant does not satisfy one or more of the required qualifying conditions for receipt of the payment. For example, an applicant may not satisfy the qualifying condition in relation to means, or they are deemed not to be providing full time care and attention to the care recipient or the care recipient is deemed not sufficiently incapacitated to require full time care and attention.

Should an application for Carers' Allowance be refused, it is open to the person to request a review of the decision by the Department. The person may also give notice of appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer, provide grounds for the appeal and submit any new evidence or information to be considered by an Appeals Officer.

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. Where the decision is not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the appellant as the appeal process proceeds. In addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights when they engage with the appellant at an oral hearing.

Applicants for Carers' Allowance are encouraged to provide as much information as possible with their application so that their claim can be decided at the earliest possible stage and time.

The table below shows a breakdown of appeals to Carers' Allowance refusals received in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024:

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.