PT.3 S.10[NO. 30.] Freedom of Information Act 2014. [2014.] an application under this section, the head shall assist, or offer to assist, the individual in the preparation of an application under this section. (12) (a) An application under this section shall be made within 12 months after the date on which the person who is affected by the act becomes aware of it. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), where the particular circumstances warrant it, the head may accept an application outside the time limit specified in that paragraph. (13) In this section— “act”, in relation to an FOI body, includes a decision (other than a decision under this Act) of the body; “act of an FOI body” means any act taken on or after the effective date by the FOI body concerned; “benefit”, in relation to a person, includes— (a) any advantage to the person, (b) in respect of an act of an FOI body done at the request of the person, any consequence or effect thereof relating to the person, and (c) the avoidance of a loss, liability, penalty, forfeiture, punishment or other disadvantage affecting the person. CHAPTER 2 FOI Requests Access to records 11. (1) Subject to this Act, every person has a right to and shall, on request therefor, be offered access to any record held by an FOI body and the right so conferred is referred to in this Act as the right of access. (2) An FOI body shall give reasonable assistance to a person who is seeking a record under this Act— (a) in relation to the making of the FOI request for access to the record, and (b) if the person has a disability, so as to facilitate the exercise by the person of his or her rights under this Act. (3) An FOI body, in performing any function under this Act, shall have regard to— (a) the need to achieve greater openness in the activities of FOI bodies and to promote adherence by them to the principle of transparency in government and public affairs, (b) the need to strengthen the accountability and improve the quality of decisionmaking of FOI bodies, and 26