If you own a television in Ireland you must have a TV licence.
The fee is €160 and a licence is required even if the TV is broken. You also still own the fee even if you only watch streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
It was revealed this week that TV licence inspectors will be carrying out a major blitz on holiday homes in an attempt to collect fees. It's understood that caravan parks and motorhomes near beaches will be targeted this summer for the €160 licence payment.
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If you have more than one TV in your home, only one licence is required for the house. However, some people are exempt from paying the licence fee as a part of the Household Benefits Package (HBP).
The HBP helps with the cost of electricity and gas bills and the TV licence. Only one person in a household can get the package, and you can avail of it if you are aged 70 or over.
People under 70 can also get the HBP, but additional rules apply.
To get the Household Benefits Package, you must:
- 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
If you are aged under 70 and live with a spouse, cohabitant or civil partner, you can get the HBP if you are in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, and other factors apply to you.
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In order to get the HBP, you must be getting an increase in your qualifying social welfare payment for your partner/cohabitant, or they are getting their own qualifying social welfare payment, or they are getting a social welfare payment not listed below and they satisfy a means test. You can live with other adults who are not your spouse, cohabitant or civil partner and still get the HBP.
The following social welfare payments will qualify those under 70 for the HBP.
- Disability Allowance
- Invalidity Pension
- Blind Pension
- Incapacity Supplement (for at least 12 months) with Disablement Pension (for at least 12 months)
- If you are caring for and living with a person who is getting Constant Attendance Allowance.
- Carer's Allowance (full or half-rate payment), but you must be living with the person you are caring for.
- An equivalent Social Security Pension or Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement
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