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<p>Post-Covid, ICE has seen an increased number of referrals accompanied by an increase in the number of cases it has accepted. In the year April 2021 to March 2022, there was a 17% increase in the number of complaints being referred to ICE and a 68% increase in the number of complaints being accepted for examination, compared to the previous reporting year.</p><p> </p><p>The average time taken from complaint receipt to allocation to an investigator (based on all current live cases being investigated), on 23 February 2023, was 46 weeks (68 weeks for CMS cases, 47 weeks for DWP cases and 25 weeks for Provider cases). Northern Ireland cases have not been included.</p><p> </p><p>The rate at which complaints can be allocated to an investigator is dependent on multiple factors, including the volume and complexity of complaints received, as well as available investigative resource.</p><p> </p><p>The ICE office is continuously reviewing its own processes and operating model to improve productivity and reduce the length of time investigations take to be concluded. The office recruited 11 more investigators April – December 2022, and a further 6 joined in January 2023.</p> |