Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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280. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rationale for delaying the extension of the child benefit payment to 18-year-olds in full-time education until August 2024. [49903/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Awaiting reply from Department.

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 €285 million this year on HHB. Approximately 508,000 households are in receipt of the gas/electricity element of the HHB package.

People over the age of 70 receive the HHB 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.

If the increases to the electricity/gas element outlined by the Deputy were introduced in 2024, the estimated additional yearly cost for those estimated to be in receipt of electricity/gas element of HHB (520,000) would be as follows:

All proposals, including the proposals outlined by the Deputy could only be considered while taking account of overall Government policy and in a budgetary context.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an essential need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I trust that this clarifies these matters for the Deputy.