Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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645. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the options available to a person (details supplied) who is in receipt of an invalidity pension and applied for disability allowance but was turned down because of being better off on an invalidity pension yet, as a result, cannot access a household benefits package or a fuel allowance; the way that the Minister intends to address this anomaly in the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33948/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension (IP) with effect from 09 June 2022. There was no application for the fuel allowance received with his IP application nor was there an application for Household Benefits (HHB) package while he was in receipt of IP. Claim forms for fuel allowance and HHB have issued to the person in question in order for his entitlement for both to be considered by a deciding officer.

A previous application for HHB was received on 13 April 2022 while the person in question was in receipt of Illness Benefit. This was refused on the grounds that he was under 66 and not in receipt of a qualifying payment.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.