Household Benefits Package 2024: Form and Details
As of July 2024, the household benefits package is currently €35 per month for gas or electricity bills along with a free TV licence worth €160. To apply for the Household Benefits Package, you need to print out the HB1 form, fill it out and return it signed to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. You can contact the department at 0818 200 400.
| 🏡 What do I receive with the household benefits package? | As of July 2024, the household benefits package is currently €35 per month for gas or electricity bills along with a free TV licence worth €160. |
| 🙋 Who is eligible for the household benefit package? | Anyone over the age of 70 automatically qualifies. Those under 70 can apply but must meet certain criteria before applying. |
| 📝 How do I apply for the household benefit package? | To apply you to fill out a HB1 form and return it to the Department of Social Protection. Click here to download the form. |
| 📨 What address do I send my application to? | Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection |
What Is the Household Benefits Package?
For eligible citizens, the Household Benefits Package offers financial assistance for common household bills for customers who are struggling. As
You can obtain a free TV licence renewal valued at €160.
You can also receive up to €35 credit per month towards your electricity or gas bill. It works out to €1.15 per day and will appear on your utility bill as -€1.15068493.
Altogether the household benefits package can save you the tidy sum of €580 a year.
You can also consider different government schemes like the help to buy and rent to buy to obtain further economical assistance.
Download Your HB1 Form Here
To apply for the Household Benefits Package, it's necessary to fill out a HB1 form and return it to the Department of Social Protection. Click here to download the form.
How To Recieve the Household Benefits Package in 2024?
Along with recieving a free TV licence renewal, successful applicants can also recieve financial assisstance with their household bills.
Here is how you can receive payment for:
- Electricity Allowance
- Electricity Allowance Under Your Landlord
- Gas Allowance
- TV Licence Allowance
We examine in further detail the process for each option above
How Do I Receive the Electricity Allowance?
If you’re with Electric Ireland or Bord Gáis you have the option of having your household benefits allowance paid directly to these suppliers as a monthly credit against your utility bill.
If you’re with any other energy provider, the household benefits allowance will be deposited into your bank or post office account which you provide details for on your application form.
Users with a Pay-as-you-go meter can only receive payments with this option.
Read Our Free Electricity Allowance Guide!
What If the Electricity Bill Is in the Landlord's Name?
If you’re living in a flat or an apartment you share with your landlord, you can still qualify for the electricity allowance. However, your landlord will have to confirm in writing that you are paying your electricity bills as a tenant of the shared property.
Pay It Forward! If you don't use all of your monthly electricity allowance, you can carry the unused portion forward towards future bills. A useful feature we strongly recommend you take full advantage of and try to keep your summer usage to a minimum to pay for the higher winter bills due to home heating.
How Do I Receive the Gas Allowance?
Should you prefer to use your household benefits package towards your gas bill, it works the same as with the electricity allowance.
You can choose to have your gas allowance either be put into your bank account directly each month, or paid as a monthly credit against your Bord Gáis Energy or Electric Ireland gas bill.
Again here, if you are renting a property, your landlord will need to provide written confirmation that you are paying the gas bill.
It is important to note that the gas allowance under the household benefits package only applies to natural gas. Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) or Heating Oil (kerosene) delivery do not qualify as eligible bills under this scheme.
How Do I Receive The TV Licence Allowance?
If you qualify for the household benefits package and would like to apply for the free TV licence, you can apply using the same household benefits package form which is used for the gas or electricity allowance (just make sure to tick the TV licence box).
You will then be eligible for a free TV licence from the date of your next renewal and An Post will be contacted and informed of this by the Department of Welfare.
If your circumstances change and you are no longer entitled to the Household Benefits Package, you will lose your right to a free license and will need to start paying for one again at the next date of renewal.
Who Is Entitled To The Household Benefits Package?
There are different categories under which people can qualify for the Household Benefits package (for permanent and legal residents only).
To know how to qualify for the household benefits package, we have divided the eligibility criteria into three categories. In all three cases, applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible:
- Must reside in Ireland full-time.
- Only one person in the household can receive the Household Benefits Package at any given moment.
- For the gas and electricity allowance, the bills must be in your name.
Besides these requirements, there are also different requirements depending on your age:
Anyone Over the Age of 70
No other requirements are necessary; anyone over 70 automatically qualifies.
Citizens Between the Ages of 66-70
If you are getting the Carer’s Allowance and living full-time with the person you are caring for, you qualify if any of the following apply:
- You receive a state pension,
- A widow’s/widower’s/surviving civil partner’s pension,
- A deserted wife’s benefit/allowance,
- A garda widow’s pension upon retirement.
- You receive the equivalent of the above from another EU state or a country with whom Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement.
- You satisfy the household benefits package means test.
If You Are Under 66 Years of Age
You may qualify if any of the following conditions apply:
- Receive a disability living allowance.
- Have an invalidity pension.
- Get the blind pension.
- Collect incapacity supplement (for at least 12 months) with disablement pension or the disability allowance.
- Receive the equivalent of the above from another EU state or a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement.
- Look after a person in receipt of a constant attendance allowance.
- Receive Carer’s Allowance and live with the person you care for.
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How To Apply For the Household Benefits Package?
To apply for the Household Benefits Package, first print the HB1 form, fill it out and return it signed to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
To fill out the Household benefits package form you'll need to hand in the following details:
- Your contact and address details.
- Your PPS number and the numbers of anyone else who lives with you.
- A copy of your GNIB (Garda National Immigration Bureau) card, where applicable.
- Your MPRN/GPRN numbers (these are your electricity or gas meter numbers).
- Your television licence number.
- Details of the financial institution (BIC and IBAN), or post office of your choosing.
What Are the Household Benefits Package Contact Details?
The deparmtent of Social Protection is contactable by phone, email and post.
In the table below you'll find the main contact details for the department.
| Phone Number | 0818 200 400 or (071) 915 7100 | Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. |
| [email protected] | ||
| Post | Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection (Household Benefits Package section) Social Welfare Services College Road Sligo Ireland |
Things to Remember About the Household Benefits Package
Along with checking your elegibility for the scheme and how to apply, there are also other important factors to to take into consideration whether you are applying for the first time, or are already benfiting from the scheme including:
- Changing energy supplier
- Changing address
- Backdating your allowance
What to Do When Switching Energy Suppliers?
If you change energy suppliers and you are receiving the household benefits package, it’s important to let the department of welfare know of the change as soon as possible. You will have to provide them with proof of your new supplier (e.g. with a bill dating from the time you changed supplier) to not miss out on any payments.
At the moment only customers with Bord Gáis Energy and Electric Ireland can have their allowance applied directly to their bill. Claimants who switch to any other provider will need to contact the department of welfare as soon as possible to provide them with details of the account where they would like to receive the payment instead.
What If I Change Address?
If you change address, your allowance will not be automatically transferred to your new accommodation, you will need to reapply to continue receiving benefits.
You'll again need to fill out the household benefits package form and post it to the Department of Welfare.
Can the Allowance Be Backdated?
As only one member of each household can receive the household benefits package, if the previous recipient leaves the household or passes away, but other house members qualify to receive the benefit, the qualifying person will need to reapply for the package within six months.
This is the maximum amount of time the allowance can be backdated, meaning you may lose out if you wait any longer.
For example, if the household benefits allowance was in the name of your deceased spouse, and you are also entitled to receive it, then this is unfortunately another item you need to keep in mind during your time of bereavement. If you were to apply one year after the allowance ceased, you would only receive backdated payment for half the year.
Household Benefits Package 2024 and Energy Bills
Home energy bills and the cost of electricity continue to pose a challenge to households across Ireland. While the Household Benefits Package can help ease the financial pressure of household costs, for many people, energy bills continue to add financial pressure.
Here at Selectra, our dedicated team of energy experts are on hand to advise you on how switching your energy provider can lead to lower annual bills, taking some of the pressure off.
Visit our dedicated energy guide pages to compare average electricity prices, see what Ireland’s energy providers are offering and learn more about how to be more energy efficient.
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