Disability pension claims blew out to more than 80 days on average at the end of last year, data reveals

Applicants were waiting for an average of 82.2 days for their disability support pension claims to be processed by Centrelink in the final months of 2023. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Claims for the disability support pension took more than 80 days on average in the final months of last year and some local government areas are experiencing average wait times of more than 200 days, data has revealed.

According to the data provided by the Department of Social Services in Senate estimates last month, disability support pension claims took an average of 82.2 days to be processed between September and December 2023.