There are currently long delays in the processing of claims for FIS (Family Income Support).
The Minister for Social Protection – Joan Burton – has confirmed in the Dail that there are backlogs of 18 weeks for new claims and 19 weeks for renewals. At the end of October, there were 7,000 new FIS applications and 7,800 renewal applications awaiting a decision.
A strange sounding plan has been put in place which will mean that all claims made after the 5th November will be processed first. The older claims will be dealt with separately – by Social Welfare staff in Donegal .
All the minister could confirm was that out of the backlog – priority would be given to renewals where FIS payments have expired. She said that “we expect to have the backlog cleared substantially in the coming period.”
So – there may be people on low incomes who applied for FIS as far back as July who may not hear anything this side of Christmas.