Thousands could be eligible for little known social welfare payment for bills and free TV licence

The Household Benefits Package (HBP) helps with the cost of your electricity or gas bill and the TV licence. Only one person in a household can get the Package.

You can get the Household Benefits Package if you are aged 70 or over. You do not need to be getting a State pension and the package is not means tested.

How to qualify

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
• Be aged 70 or over
• Be aged under 70 and meet the additional rules for ‘People aged under 70’ set out below
• Have the electricity or gas bill in your name if you are applying for to have an Electricity or Gas Allowance paid as a credit on your bill

People under 70 can also get the HBP, but additional rules apply.

If you are 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 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

You can live with other adults (who are not your spouse, cohabitant or civil partner) and get the HBP.

Full list of qualifying payments for those under 70.

Widowed people or surviving civil partners

You can qualify for the Household Benefits Package, if you are widowed or a surviving civil partner aged between 60 and 65 and your late spouse or civil partner was getting the Household Benefit Package before their death. 

Means Test

If you are aged between 66 and 70 and are not getting a qualifying social welfare payment, you must pass a means test. In a means test, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) examines all your sources of income.

What is covered by the Household Benefits Package?