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Mr. Roger Evans
The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 19 June 1995:
The Secretary of State of Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the current average clearance times for applications to the Social Fund (SF), both nationally and in Doncaster and Mexborough.
When the Benefits Agency was established in April 1991, a major restructuring programme resulted in existing offices being grouped
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together to form Districts. Mexborough Branch Office is one office within the District of Rother and Dearne. Information has, therefore, been supplied for the Doncaster and Rother and Dearne Districts as figures for Mexborough cannot be given separately.
Unfortunately it is not possible to provide the current average length of time taken to decide an application for assistance from the SF. We are, however, presently looking at whether an average processing time would be a helpful way forward.
At present, our performance is measured against a standard time for processing each type of claim. This is based on the time it takes to clear the more straightforward of cases. For instance, for SF Maternity payment claims, we aim to process 65% in the standard time of 5 days. To ensure proper emphasis is given to the remaining claims, a secondary measure is set which in the same example is 95% in 20 days. Our performance measure for SF Crisis payments is that we aim to process the claim on the day it is received. We aim to achieve this in 95% of cases.
Appendices A - C outline the clearance times for the period I April 1993 to 31 March 1994 and 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995. Appendix A outlines the national figures, Appendix B the Doncaster District and Appendix C the Rother and Dearne District figures.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
| Appendix A: Clearance times of applications to the social fund, nationally. 1 April 1993–31 March 1994 and 1 April 1994–31 March 1995. |
| Application type |
Target |
Achieved Per cent. |
| i. 1993–94 |
|
|
| Crisis loans |
On day need arises |
96.28 |
| Community care grants |
65 per cent. in 7 days |
81.13 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
96.94 |
| Budgeting loans |
65 per cent. in 6 days |
77.89 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.40 |
| Maternity payments |
65 per cent. in 5 days |
73.31 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
96.84 |
| Funeral payments |
65 per cent. in 12 days |
71.70 |
|
95 per cent. in 35 days |
96.10 |
| ii. 1994–95 |
|
|
| Crisis loans |
On day need arises |
97.40 |
| Community care grants |
65 per cent. in 7 days |
87.00 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
98.20 |
| Budgeting loans |
65 per cent. in 6 days |
83.97 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
98.27 |
| Maternity payments |
65 per cent. in 5 days |
80.89 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
98.02 |
| Funeral payments |
65 per cent. in 12 days |
75.52 |
|
95 per cent. in 35 days |
96.96 |
| Appendix B: Clearance times of applications to the social fund, Doncaster 1 April 1993–31 March 1994 and 1 April 1994–31 March 1995. |
| Application type |
Target |
Achieved Per cent. |
| i. 1993–94 |
|
|
| Crisis loans |
On day need arises |
96.46 |
| Community care grants |
65 per cent. in 7 days |
82.47 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.19 |
| Budgeting loans |
65 per cent. in 6 days |
79.34 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.36 |
| Maternity payments |
65 per cent. in 5 days |
74.08 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.33 |
| Funeral payments |
65 per cent. in 12 days |
70.97 |
|
95 per cent. in 35 days |
96.81 |
| ii. 1994–95 |
|
|
| Crisis loans |
On day need arises |
97.67 |
| Community care grants |
65 per cent. in 7 days |
84.47 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.47 |
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| Appendix B: Clearance times of applications to the social fund, Doncaster 1 April 1993–31 March 1994 and 1 April 1994–31 March 1995. |
| Application type |
Target |
Achieved Per cent. |
| Budgeting loans |
65 per cent. in 6 days |
83.55 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.71 |
| Maternity payments |
65 per cent. in 5 days |
82.87 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.55 |
| Funeral payments |
65 per cent. in 12 days |
69.81 |
|
95 per cent. in 35 days |
97.50 |
| Appendix C: Clearance times of applications to the social fund, Rother and Dearne. 1 April 1993–31 March 1994 and 1 April 1994–31 March 1995. |
| Application type |
Target |
Achieved Per cent. |
| i. 1993–94 |
|
|
| Crisis loans |
On day need arises |
99.17 |
| Community care grants |
65 per cent. in 7 days |
73.61 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.44 |
| Budgeting loans |
65 per cent. in 6 days |
79.02 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
98.62 |
| Maternity payments |
65 per cent. in 5 days |
75.69 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
97.82 |
| Funeral payments |
65 per cent. in 12 days |
68.32 |
|
95 per cent. in 35 days |
98.02 |
| ii. 1994–95 |
|
|
| Crisis loans |
On day need arises |
98.44 |
| Community care grants |
65 per cent. in 7 days |
88.98 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
99.30 |
| Budgeting loans |
65 per cent. in 6 days |
85.53 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
99.22 |
| Maternity payments |
65 per cent. in 5 days |
83.83 |
|
95 per cent. in 20 days |
98.77 |
| Funeral payments |
65 per cent. in 12 days |
69.58 |
|
95 per cent. in 35 days |
97.82 |