SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1984
FEWER APPEALS OVER SOCIAL SECURITY CASES
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THE SOCIAL SECURITY APPEAL BOARD RECEIVED 63 APPEALS AGAINST THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S DECISIONS ON ELIGIBILITY AND PAYMENT OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1983-84, ACCORDING TO THE BOARD'S LATEST ANNUAL REPORT.
THIS REPRESENTED A DECREASE OF 30 CASES OVER THE FIGURE FUK THE PRECEDING YEAR.
THE REPORT SHOWS THAT 42 OF THESE APPEALS RELATED TO LISABILITY ALLOWANCE.
THE OTHERS WERE CONNECTED WITH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (16 CASES) OLD AGE ALLOWANCE (FOUR CASES) AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE (ONE CASE).
THE BOARD, COMPRISING FOUR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE CHAIRMAN, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSIDERING APPEALS FROM THE PUBLIC IN RESPECT OF SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS.
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SIXTY-TWO APPEALS WERE HEARD DURING THE YEAR, INCLUDING 21 BROUGHT FORWARD FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
THE BOARD CONFIRMED THE DECISIONS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN 43 CASES AND SUBSTITUTED ITS DECISIONS IN 19 OTHERS.
THE HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS CONTINUED TO BE ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ROLES OF THE BOARD.
+THESE COMPLAINTS DO NOT NECESSARILY BECOME APPEALS BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS OF SOME OF THE COMPLAINANTS MAY BE SOLVED AFTER APPROPRIATE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE STAFF OF THE BOARD,+ THE REPORT SAYS.
DURING THE YEAR, 142 COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED, AS AGAINST 137 IN THE PRECEDING YEAR. OF THESE, 82 WERE REGARDED AS SETTLED, SIX WERE REFERRED TO OTHER OFFICES FOR ACTION AND THE REMAINING 54 EVENTUALLY BECAME APPEALS.
THE BOARD HAS MADE SUGGESTIONS AIMED AT IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY SERVICES.
IT POINTS OUT THERE ARE SOME DISABLED APPELLANTS WHO, BECAUSE OF MOVEMENT DIFFICULTIES, ARE UNABLE TO USE THE CHEAPEST MEANS OF TRANSPORT IN ATTENDING BOARD HEARINGS. FOR SUCH APPELLANTS, THE BOARD FEELS THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE A MORE EXPENSIVE AND YET REASONABLE FORM OF TRANSPORT, AND REIMBURSEMENT BE MADE ACCORDINGLY.
THE BOARD CONSIDERS THAT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE, A TIME LIMIT SHOULD BE SET FOR THE RECOVERY OF OVERPAYMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR OVERPAYMENT ARISING NOT FROM THE ISHONESTY OF THE RECIPIENTS.
+ JUAL...