Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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155. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a fuel allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [51464/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to provide assistance to householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs.

The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, must satisfy a means test and must either be living alone or with other qualifying persons. 

The person concerned applied for fuel allowance on 13 September 2021.  Since it is a means-tested payment, information regarding their household means was requested on 18 September 2021.  Following receipt of the requested information, fuel allowance has been awarded. Written notification of this decision issued to the person concerned on 11 October 2021.  Fuel allowance payments from 1 October 2021, the start of the 2021/22 fuel season, have also issued to the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.