Benefits Claims Processing Sankey Diagram: Operational Template
Show how public benefit claims move from receipt channel to eligibility decision, information requests and appeals. Operational throughput only, with invented figures.
A benefits claims Sankey shows volumes moving through a processing service: how claims arrive, how they are decided and what happens next. It is a view of throughput, not of any individual claim.
The example has 2,000 claims in a period. About 53% are granted, and most of the rest split between partly granted, refused and a group where more information was needed. Of those, many lapse because no reply arrives, which is work that never reaches a decision.
The picture helps a team see where effort goes: the information-requested ribbon is a candidate for clearer forms, and the appeal ribbon shows how often decisions are challenged and changed. It says nothing about whether any single decision was right. If you want to compare with a clinical service, see /sankey/patient-flow, and /sankey/sankey-diagram-for-service-demand covers preparing counts.
How to read this diagram
- 1,070 of 2,000 claims (53.5%) are granted at the first decision; 340 (17%) are refused.
- 320 claims (16%) need more information, and 130 of them (41%) lapse with no reply, so they never reach a decision.
- Online is the widest channel at 1,100 claims (55%), and 150 of them (14%) needed more information, against 100 of 500 paper claims (20%).
- 170 decisions are challenged, 28% of the 610 partly granted or refused; 55 of the 170 appeals (32%) change the outcome.
The data behind it
Invented figures for illustration. Not data about any real agency or scheme and not an official statistic. The diagram describes operational volumes only and gives no advice about eligibility or about any individual claim.
| From | To | Amount (claims) |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Granted | 620 |
| Online | Partly granted | 150 |
| Online | Refused | 180 |
| Online | More information needed | 150 |
| Paper form | Granted | 230 |
| Paper form | Partly granted | 70 |
| Paper form | Refused | 100 |
| Paper form | More information needed | 100 |
| Phone | Granted | 120 |
| Phone | Partly granted | 30 |
| Phone | Refused | 40 |
| Phone | More information needed | 60 |
| Via partner organisation | Granted | 100 |
| Via partner organisation | Partly granted | 20 |
| Via partner organisation | Refused | 20 |
| Via partner organisation | More information needed | 10 |
| Granted | Decision stands, no appeal | 1070 |
| Partly granted | Appeal or review requested | 60 |
| Partly granted | Decision stands, no appeal | 210 |
| Refused | Appeal or review requested | 110 |
| Refused | Decision stands, no appeal | 230 |
| More information needed | Information supplied | 190 |
| More information needed | Lapsed, no reply | 130 |
| Information supplied | Re-decided after information | 190 |
| Appeal or review requested | Changed on appeal | 55 |
| Appeal or review requested | Upheld on appeal | 100 |
| Appeal or review requested | Appeal still open | 15 |
The same data as CSV
source,target,value
Online,Granted,620
Online,Partly granted,150
Online,Refused,180
Online,More information needed,150
Paper form,Granted,230
Paper form,Partly granted,70
Paper form,Refused,100
Paper form,More information needed,100
Phone,Granted,120
Phone,Partly granted,30
Phone,Refused,40
Phone,More information needed,60
Via partner organisation,Granted,100
Via partner organisation,Partly granted,20
Via partner organisation,Refused,20
Via partner organisation,More information needed,10
Granted,"Decision stands, no appeal",1070
Partly granted,Appeal or review requested,60
Partly granted,"Decision stands, no appeal",210
Refused,Appeal or review requested,110
Refused,"Decision stands, no appeal",230
More information needed,Information supplied,190
More information needed,"Lapsed, no reply",130
Information supplied,Re-decided after information,190
Appeal or review requested,Changed on appeal,55
Appeal or review requested,Upheld on appeal,100
Appeal or review requested,Appeal still open,15How it works
Define the claim and the period
Count each claim once, in one period, using the date it was received.
Count decisions by channel
Enter granted, partly granted, refused and information needed for each way a claim arrives.
Follow the later steps
Add information supplied or lapsed, then appeals and their outcomes, using only aggregate counts.
Check the balance
Each decision should send on exactly the claims it received. Never include names or case numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put individual cases in the diagram?
No. Use aggregate counts only. A Sankey needs totals per category, never personal records, and it is not a substitute for advice on a particular claim.
Can I rename the categories to match our scheme?
Yes. Rename any node, change the unit and colours, and adjust amounts on the canvas. Widths follow the numbers.
Edit this claims processing Sankey
Open the example as your own chart and enter your aggregate claim counts.