The Household Benefits Package is a set of allowances which help you with the costs of running your household. It includes allowances towards covering electricity or gas costs as well as the television licence.
The package is available to everyone aged over 70 and to people under 70 in certain circumstances.
The qualifying conditions for the Household Benefits Package are different depending on what age you are and the payment you are receiving from the government.
You must:
- be legally living in the State on a permanent basis (full-time, all year round)
- be the only person in the household claiming this benefit
- be the registered bill holder on the Gas/Electricity bill if you are claiming that allowance
- prove your identity with a Public Services Card when asked to do so
- Your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant must be a Qualified Adult on your pension, be in receipt of a social welfare payment in their own right, or satisfy a means test, if they are in receipt of a benefit payment
If you are renting your home, your landlord must provide written confirmation that you are a tenant, including the MPRN (Meter point reference number) or GPRN (Gas point reference number) of the address you are living at. Your landlord must also confirm that you are paying your own energy bills.
You can qualify for the Household Benefits Package if you meet one of the following conditions:
- you are over 70 years of age
- you are getting Carer’s Allowance and providing full- time care and living with the person you are caring for
- you are caring for a person you are living with who is getting Constant Attendance Allowance
- you are between 66 and 70 years of age and are getting one of the following:
- Deserted Wife’s Benefit
- an ordinary Garda Widow’s Pension from the Department of Justice and Equality
- an equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement
- Incapacity Supplement (for at least 12 months) with Disablement Benefit
- You are aged between 66 and 70 and not receiving a qualified payment, and satisfy a means test
- you are under 66 and are getting one of the following:
- an equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement
- Incapacity Supplement (for at least 12 months) with Disablement Benefit
You can qualify for the Household Benefits Package if you meet one of the following conditions:
- You are over 70 years of age
- You are getting Carer’s Allowance. You must be providing full-time care and living with the person you are caring for
- You are between 66 and 70 and are getting one of the following:
- State Pension (Contributory)
- State Pension (Non-contributory)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
- Deserted Wife’s Benefit
- an ordinary Garda Widow’s Pension from the Department of Justice and Equality
- 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
- Incapacity Supplement (for at least 12 months) with Disablement Benefit
- You are aged between 66 and 70 and not receiving a qualifying payment and satisfy a means test
A Widow/Widower/Surviving Civil Partner or in receipt of an ordinary Garda Widow’s Pension and aged between 60-65 years may also qualify for the allowance(s) in certain circumstances.
| Allowance | Rate |
| Electricity or Gas | €1.15 a day payable monthly |
| TV Licence | Once you qualify for the Household Benefits Package you qualify for a free Television Licence from its next renewal date. You apply for this as part of your Household Benefits application |
If you have a Public Services Card and a verified MyGovID account, you can apply online for the Household Benefits Package
You can also apply for Household Benefits by downloading the application form below and sending it, together with any supporting documents to:
Household Benefits Package Section
Application Form: Household Benefits Package (HB1)
Application form for Household Benefits Package HB1
Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the Department follow when carrying out their work.
