Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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193. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total cost of the household benefits package to the State from 2019 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22526/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Household Benefits package is comprised of the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence.  The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test.  The package is also available to some people under the age of 66, who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Only one Household Benefits package is payable per household. 

At the end of 2021, some 484,000 recipients were in receipt of the Household Benefits package.  Currently there are some 488,000 recipients.

The total cost of the household benefits package to the State from 2019 to 2021 is as per the table below: 

The Appropriation Accounts for 2021 are currently being audited by the C&AG and therefore the figures above for 2021 are provisional and subject to change.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.