Dear Ministry of Social Development,

Official Information Request: Ministry of Social Development Social Security Appeal Authority

Please supply the following under the Official Information Act:

1. What is the membership of the Social Security Appeal Authority?

2. On what grounds are members of the Social Security Appeal Authority selected?

3. Are there any grounds for disqualification from being a member of the Social Security Appeal Authority?

4. How many MSD employees work in the Social Security Appeal Authority per year between 2000-2020?

5. How are Social Security Appeal Authority decisions made?
a) Is there a set of pre-determined factors that the Social Security Appeal Authority uses to make a decision?
b) What are the factors the Social Security Appeal Authority must or is likely to take into account in making its decision?
c) Is there any other information you can provide on how Social Security Appeal Authority decisions are made?
d) What are the grounds for making a decision “on the papers” without holding an appeal?

6. Of the cases seen by the Social Security Appeal Authority from 2000-2020, how many were decided without holding an appeal?

7. What are the rights and entitlements of benefit recipients during the Social Security Appeal Authority process?

8. What information is available to benefit recipients to inform them of these rights and entitlements?

9. How many cases seen by the Social Security Appeal Authority from 2000 - 2020 had relationship status (or marriage type relationship fraud) as a line of enquiry?

10. Of the cases seen by the Social Security Appeal Authority from 2000-2020 where relationship status (or marriage type relationship fraud) was a line of inquiry;
a) How many resulted in the client’s benefit being stopped from 2000-2020?
b) How many resulted in the client’s benefit being reduced from 2000-2020?
c) How many resulted in the client’s benefit continuing as it was previously from 2000-2020?

11. How many clients accessed legal advice during the Social Security Appeal Authority process?

If you need any additional information on the nature of this request, please let us know as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,

Equal Justice Project
Pro Bono Team