€420 Household Benefits Package for Electricity or Gas
Written by: Briain Kelly
Published: March 6, 2025
Last updated: October 9, 2025
Reading time: 2 mins
For those over 70, or younger than that meet the right qualifications, you could receive €420 a year to help with your electricity or gas bills.
The Household Benefits Package is a monthly payment meant to help older people and those on certain social welfare payments with their utility bills.
What is the Household Benefits Package
The two allowances in the Household Benefits Package offer qualifying people monthly assistance with their electricity or gas, and tv licence.
Allowance 1: €35 per month for Electricity OR Gas
If people receiving the HBP have both electricity and gas in their home they must choose one or the other.
Allowance 2: Free TV Licence
Who Gets the Household Benefits Package
The categories of people who may qualify for the Household Benefits Package include:
- People Over 70
- People Aged 66 – 70 receiving a state pension
- People Under 70 receiving certain benefits payments
- People Aged 66 – 70 who pass a means test
- People Aged 60 – 65 who are the widow/widower/surviving civil partner of someone who received the HBP
Benefits Payments Qualifying for the HBP
| Age Bracket | Qualifying Benefits Payments |
| 66 – 70 |
|
| Under 66 |
|
| 60 – 65 (Surviving Partner) |
|
The Benefits Eligibility also covers equivalent pensions and benefits from countries covered by EU Regulations or with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement,
For people aged 60 – 65 years old who are the surviving partner of someone receiving the HBP, they must have been living with their partner when the package was first awarded.
Means Test for the Household Benefits Package
People aged 66 to 70 who are not receiving one of the relevant benefits payments must pass a means test in order to receive the benefits.
The means test is based on both cash income and capital such as savings, investments, property (not main residence).
The weekly income threshold for the means test is set at the current top rate of the Contributory State Pension plus €200.
Income From Renting a Room in Your Home
People who rent out a room in their home, not a second property, are able to receive up to €269.23 per week which is not assessed as part of the means test.
This person must not be an immediate family member or an employee, and must reside in the room at least 28 days of the year. They do not otherwise have to qualify for the Fuel Allowance themself.
Applying for the Household Benefits Package
People applying for the household benefits package can do so online through MyWelfare.ie, or by sending in an application by post.
Once someone has filed in the Household Benefit Package application form they should send it to the social welfare services offices in Sligo.
Social Welfare Services
College Road
Sligo
F91 T384
Ireland
Income From Renting a Room in Your Home
People who rent out a room in their home, not a second property, are able to receive up to €269.23 per week which is not assessed as part of the means test.
This person must not be an immediate family member or an employee, and must reside in the room at least 28 days of the year. They do not otherwise have to qualify for the Fuel Allowance themself.
FAQs
Yes, you can qualify for both the HBP and Fuel Allowance payments separately as long as you meet the requirements for both schemes.
If you don’t use the entirety or any of the electricity or gas allowance from the HBP in the month you receive it, it can carry over to the next bill.
€420 Household Benefits Package for Electricity or Gas
Published: March 6, 2025
Last updated: October 9, 2025
Written by: Briain Kelly
Reading time: 2mins
For those over 70, or younger than that meet the right qualifications, you could receive €420 a year to help with your electricity or gas bills.
The Household Benefits Package is a monthly payment meant to help older people and those on certain social welfare payments with their utility bills.
What is the Household Benefits Package
The two allowances in the Household Benefits Package offer qualifying people monthly assistance with their electricity or gas, and tv licence.
Allowance 1: €35 per month for Electricity OR Gas
If people receiving the HBP have both electricity and gas in their home they must choose one or the other.
Allowance 2: Free TV Licence
Who Gets the Household Benefits Package
The categories of people who may qualify for the Household Benefits Package include:
- People Over 70
- People Aged 66 – 70 receiving a state pension
- People Under 70 receiving certain benefits payments
- People Aged 66 – 70 who pass a means test
- People Aged 60 – 65 who are the widow/widower/surviving civil partner of someone who received the HBP
Benefits Payments Qualifying for the HBP
| Age Bracket | Qualifying Benefits Payments |
| 66 – 70 |
|
| Under 66 |
|
| 60 – 65 (Surviving Partner) |
|
The Benefits Eligibility also covers equivalent pensions and benefits from countries covered by EU Regulations or with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement,
For people aged 60 – 65 years old who are the surviving partner of someone receiving the HBP, they must have been living with their partner when the package was first awarded.
Means Test for the Household Benefits Package
People aged 66 to 70 who are not receiving one of the relevant benefits payments must pass a means test in order to receive the benefits.
The means test is based on both cash income and capital such as savings, investments, property (not main residence).
The weekly income threshold for the means test is set at the current top rate of the Contributory State Pension plus €200.
Income From Renting a Room in Your Home
People who rent out a room in their home, not a second property, are able to receive up to €269.23 per week which is not assessed as part of the means test.
This person must not be an immediate family member or an employee, and must reside in the room at least 28 days of the year. They do not otherwise have to qualify for the Fuel Allowance themself.
Applying for the Household Benefits Package
People applying for the household benefits package can do so online through MyWelfare.ie, or by sending in an application by post.
Once someone has filed in the Household Benefit Package application form they should send it to the social welfare services offices in Sligo.
Social Welfare Services
College Road
Sligo
F91 T384
Ireland
Income From Renting a Room in Your Home
People who rent out a room in their home, not a second property, are able to receive up to €269.23 per week which is not assessed as part of the means test.
This person must not be an immediate family member or an employee, and must reside in the room at least 28 days of the year. They do not otherwise have to qualify for the Fuel Allowance themself.
FAQs
Yes, you can qualify for both the HBP and Fuel Allowance payments separately as long as you meet the requirements for both schemes.
If you don’t use the entirety or any of the electricity or gas allowance from the HBP in the month you receive it, it can carry over to the next bill.
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