§ LORD BYERSasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people entitled to sickness benefit in the last twelve months (or recent accounting period) whose claims have been disallowed by reason of their having been submitted more than ten days late, appealed against the decision; how many of them were successful, and what was the total sum allowed to the appellants.
How many people entitled to sickness benefit have had their claims disallowed in the last twelve months (or recent accounting period) by reason only that their claims were submitted more than ten days after the issue of the medical certificate; and what was the total sum involved.
§ LORD WELLS-PESTELLThe time limits for submission of claims to sickness benefit are six days for a claim at the start of a spell of incapacity; 10 days for a continuation claim; and 21 days for a first claim by someone who has never claimed before, or for a claim by someone who has been in hospital. If the insurance officer is satisfied that there is good cause for the lateness of the claim, it is treated as if made in good time. There is a right of appeal from the insurance officer to the local appeal tribunal, and from there to the National Insurance Commissioner.
1362WAThe time limits help to ensure effective consideration and control of claims in respect of what is a current contingency. Statistics of the numbers of claims disallowed for lateness, and of the resulting appeals, could only be obtained with disproportionate effort and expense (the amount of benefit at stake is also unknown). In the calendar year 1973, with 10 million initial claims, there were 5,000 appeals to the Commissioner against the disallowance of sickness benefit claims for all reasons, of which 735 were successful.