Thousands of people are eligible for a €580 annual social welfare payment to help with household bills.
The Household Benefits Package helps with the cost of your electricity or gas bill and the TV licence. Only one person in a household can get the package.
Anyone aged 70 or over qualifies for the Household Benefits Package. You do not need to be getting a State pension and the package is not means tested.
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Some people aged under 70 can also qualify for the payment. but additional rules apply. Here's the criteria for qualifying:
- Be living in Ireland (full-time, all year round)
- Be the only person in your household getting the HBP
- Have the electricity or gas bill in your name (if you are applying for an Electricity or Gas Allowance)
- Be aged 70 or over
- Be aged under 70 and meet the additional rules for ‘People aged under 70’ set out below.
If you aged under 70 and you are living with your spouse, cohabitant or civil partner, you can get the HBP if you are getting a qualifying social welfare payment and:
- You are getting an increase in your qualifying social welfare payment for them (see list of qualifying social welfare payments below) or
- They are getting their own qualifying social welfare payment listed below or
- They are getting a social welfare payment not listed below and they satisfy a means test.
To find out more about the qualifying social welfare payments for under 70's, click here.
There are two allowances in the Household Benefits package. The first allowance is a monthly payment of €35 towards your electricity or gas bill, while the second allowance gives you a free Television Licence.
You can apply online for the Household Benefits Package using MyWelfare.ie, if you have a MyGovID account. However, if you cannot apply online, you can fill in the Household Benefits Package application form, found here.
To find out more information about the Household Benefits Package, click here.
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