15,000 social welfare appeals lodged last year

More than 15,000 people lodged appeals against decisions governing their social welfare entitlements last year, according to the Social Welfare Appeals Office’s annual report for 2003.

The report said the office dealt with 21,000 appeals during the year, more than 6,000 of which had carried over from 2002.

Fifteen per cent of the appeals dealt with in 2003 were subsequently withdrawn, while 44% were decided in favour of the appellant and 41% were disallowed.