Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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285. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if persons who do not have a social welfare pension can qualify for the household benefit under a means test; when the additional amount allowed over and above the corresponding rate of contributory old age pension was last adjusted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46496/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB for over 492,000 customers. People over the age of 70 receive the Household Benefits Package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test. The package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.

A person aged between 66 and 69 who is not receiving a qualifying payment from the Department, such as the State Pension (Contributory), may still apply for the HHB package, subject to satisfying a means test and the spousal household composition requirement.

The allowable means for HHB purposes is €120 above the relevant State Pension Contributory rate. The allowable means was increased from €100 to €120 above the relevant State Pension Contributory rate effective from 11^thOctober 2021.

Once a person is aged over 70, the HHB package is not means tested and an applicant does not need to be receiving a Social Welfare pension or satisfy the spousal household composition requirement.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.