Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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435. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that persons who have paid a certain contribution (details supplied) with limited income cannot qualify for the household benefits package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52794/22]

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 497,000 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. From January 2023, the allowable means will increase from €120 to €200 above the relevant State Pension Contributory rate.

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.