People in the Shannonside region who think they may be eligible for the fuel allowance or other payments are being encouraged to contact their local Citizens Information Centre.
Sinead Conefrey from the Leitrim Citizens Information service says many people who call to them may have been entitled to payments for some years but have not availed of them because they didn't know they were entitled to them.
Speaking today on the Let's Talk show Sinead says that there seems to be an issue regarding the fuel allowance and other such payments whereby people don't know that they have to actually apply for them rather than them being automatically included in the scheme...
You have to submit an application form if you're applying for fuel allowance. There's a number of criteria such as a qualifying social welfare payment, but there is a means test aspect to that. There are changes coming down the road to the means test in January. You have to submit an application you will not be automatically awarded it. There is an issue there were a lot of people don't seem to realise that they have to actually do that.''
