Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 433: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person reaching the age of 65 years in June 2042 will still be eligible for the perks available to those in receipt of the old age pension in 2006, for example the household benefits package. [6484/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity and gas allowance, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to carers in receipt of a carer's allowance and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare payments. People aged over 70 years can qualify regardless of their income or household composition. Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefits package retain that entitlement to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse. The operation of the household benefits package will be kept under review in the context of the objectives of the scheme and budgetary resources. However, it is impossible to say with certainty the social welfare benefits for which a person reaching retirement age in 2042 will qualify, as that will be a matter for the Government of the day.