Ombudswoman Maria Stylianou-Lottides expressed concerns on Friday over lengthy delays in the examination of appeals against decisions by the Welfare Benefits Management Service, warning that the issue reflects deep-rooted structural weaknesses within the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare.
In a new report submitted to the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, the Ombudswoman says the persistent delays are not isolated incidents but indicate serious, long-standing deficiencies in the organisation and operation of the ministry. She calls for meaningful structural and administrative reforms to improve the handling of pending cases, ensure timely responses to citizens and prevent practices that fall short of the principles of good administration.
Two years later
The report notes that the Ombudswoman's Office had already raised the issue in a report dated 29 May 2024, which was submitted to the then Deputy Minister of Social Welfare. That report highlighted the need for measures to speed up the examination of appeals and improve communication with applicants.
However, the Ombudswoman says her office continues to receive a significant number of complaints with almost identical content, indicating that the problems remain unresolved.
According to the report, delays in examining appeals are extensive. In one case, an appeal has remained pending for more than three years. Six cases have been awaiting a decision for around 18 months, seven for approximately one year and another for eight months. The Ombudswoman also notes that similar complaints have been submitted in the past, some of which were resolved during investigations carried out by her office.
Undermining benefits
The recurring complaints concern a range of social welfare benefits, including the Guaranteed Minimum Income, the Low Pensioner Allowance, the Extraordinary Allowance, Child Benefit and the Single-Parent Family Benefit.
"In many cases, affected citizens have been waiting for more than a year for a response or for the completion of the examination of their appeal, while there continue to be cases where the delay extends beyond two or even three years," the report states.
The Ombudswoman argues that such delays are incompatible with the provisions of the relevant legislation. She says prolonged administrative procedures effectively undermine the purpose of the benefits, depriving vulnerable citizens of timely financial support and weakening the effectiveness of the social protection system.
Recommendations
She further stresses that the continued emergence of similar complaints, despite her office's previous intervention, demonstrates that the shortcomings are systemic rather than occasional.
To address the problem, the Ombudswoman recommends the establishment of an advisory panel of officials and experts with legal expertise or long-standing experience in handling welfare benefit applications. Acting under the authority of the Deputy Minister, the panel would carry out substantive reviews of appeals within the required timeframes before submitting final recommendations. The Deputy Minister would retain responsibility for the final decision.
The report also recommends that, where appeals cannot be completed within the statutory or otherwise reasonable time limits due to objective circumstances, applicants should be informed promptly of the reasons for the delay, the stage their case has reached and the estimated timeframe for its completion.
The report has been submitted to the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare for consideration.
