Cost of Living: Thousands of households can claim a little-known payment of €420 towards heating as Met Eireann warn of artic airmass to banger Ireland in the coming days
The country is set to be banger by a serious cold snap, with frost and ice are immediately expected to “become fairly widespread” over the next few nights as wintry weather arrives.
Met Eireann says an arctic airmass will be bring cold conditions such as snow showers and overnight lows of -3 degrees over the coming days and with the weather getting colder, comes more expensive heating bills.
Thankfully, there is a little known payment many people are missing out on that can help with the cost of heating your home, the Household Benefits Package.
Here’s everything you need to know about it and how to apply.
What is the Household Benefits Package?
The Household Benefits Package (HBP) helps with the cost of your electricity or gas bill and the TV licence. While you do not need to be living alone to receive the payment, 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.
People under 70 can also get the HBP, but additional rules apply.
Who qualifies for the Household Benefits Package?
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
- 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
If you are under 70 you can get the Household Benefits Package, if you are getting a qualifying social welfare payment.
If you are between 66 and 70 these are:
- State Pension (Contributory)
- State Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
- Deserted Wife’s Benefit
- Carer’s Allowance (full or half-rate payment), but you must be living with the person you are caring for.
- An ordinary Garda Widow’s Pension from the Department of Justice
- 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
If you are under 66 these are:
- Disability Allowance
- Invalidity Pension
- Blind Pension
- Incapacity Supplement (for at least 12 months) with Disablement Pension (for at least 12 months)
- 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
For full details, click here.
How much is the Household Benefits Package?
If you have an electricity and natural gas supply, you must choose between the Electricity Allowance and Gas Allowance. You can choose only one. The Allowance does not cover the cost of installing an electricity or natural gas supply to your home.
Both are paid at a rate of €35 a month, totalling €420 a year.
Once you qualify for the Household Benefits Package, you can also get a Free Television (TV) Licence from your next TV Licence renewal date. To get your Free TV Licence, you must select the Television Licence option on the HBP form when you apply.
How to apply
You can apply online for the Household Benefits Package using MyWelfare.ie, if you have a MyGovID account.
If you cannot apply online, you can fill in the Household Benefit Package application form (pdf) and return it to the Household Benefits Package section of the Department of Social Protection.
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