Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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569. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry on disability allowance and who was in receipt of fuel allowance for 2018-2019 did not receive it automatically for 2019-2020 and had to make a new application resulting in losing the fuel allowance payment for one month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49833/19]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Free fuel (FF) allowance is a means tested payment, payable to people who either live alone or only with certain other qualified people and who are in receipt of a qualifying payment. This lady was awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from 1 March 2017. Free fuel (FF) allowance was not awarded as it was already in payment to a household member at that time.

A FF application was received from the person concerned on 23 October 2019 and she was awarded FF from that date. This lady was notified of this decision on 13 November 2019.

If the person concerned wishes to apply for backdating of her FF allowance she may do so in writing stating the reasons she did not apply earlier.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.