Disability allowance refusals rise, but 70% of appeals granted

New figures show that while there was a rise in the percentage of applications turned down for disability allowance last year, almost 70% of appeals were then upheld.

By last December the number of recipients of disability allowance stood at 140,835, with 23,080 new applications received by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection last year.

In total, 29,887 disability allowance claims were decided in 2018, of which 17,205 applications were awarded and 12,682 were disallowed, a refusal rate of 42% — higher than that in 2017. Another 1,130 applications were withdrawn.

Yet at appeals stage, nearly 70% were granted. Of the 4,467 disability allowance appeals decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office last year, 3,112 were allowed, while 99 were partially allowed and 1,256 were disallowed. Another 77 appeals were withdrawn by the appellants.

The Disability Federation of Ireland has previously criticised the high level of refusals and said the latest figures highlight ongoing issues.

Joan O’Donnell, development manager with the federation, said: “Once again we see a rise of almost 7,000 people moving onto disability allowance over the course of one year. It paints a bleak picture of the real Ireland, where people have no other option but to apply for a payment that is means-tested and almost guarantees a life of poverty.

“A huge number of applicants are turned down on their first application. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with a Disability, which Ireland ratified last year, means that people have a right to social protection. DFI’s advice to anyone applying is if you do not get this payment first time, appeal, appeal, appeal.

“The Department of Employment and Social Protection have some hard questions to ask themselves. Why are so many turned down and then get payment on appeal? And what are they doing to ensure the system becomes more humane?”

The figures provided by the department show that 152 disability allowance payments were terminated in 2018 following a medical review.

The department said the decisions taken by appeals officers in 2018 included appeals in relation to all the conditions of the disability allowance scheme, such as means and habitual residence, and that a number of applications recorded as disallowed may subsequently have been awarded following a review.