Older people · 10 September 2026
116,000 households are missing the Household Benefits Package. The five minute check.
Quick answer
The Household Benefits Package is €35 a month towards electricity or gas plus a free TV licence, about €580 a year. If you are 70 or over you qualify automatically. No means test, no need to be on a pension. New Department of Social Protection figures, reported on 7 September, say up to 116,000 households that could get it are not claiming. Check your parent is on it. It takes five minutes.
What the new figures say
On 7 September the Irish Independent reported an analysis by the Department of Social Protection. It matched the number of people over 70 against the number of households getting the Household Benefits Package.
The gap was up to 116,000 households. The Department says the estimate is experimental and some of those may already get it another way. Even if half of that number is right, that is a lot of pensioners paying a €160 TV licence and full electricity bills for no reason.
The Department has said a public awareness campaign is coming. Do not wait for it.
What the package is worth
- €35 a month towards electricity or gas. About €420 a year.
- A free TV licence, worth €160 a year.
- Total: about €580 a year, every year, for as long as you live in the house.
Since 8 September 2025 new applicants get the €35 paid into their bank or post office account on the first Tuesday of each month, not as a credit on the bill. Older claims still show on the bill.
Who gets it
The main group:
- Aged 70 or over. That is the whole test. No means test. You do not need a State Pension. You do not need to live alone.
Under 70 it is possible too, on certain payments, if you live alone or only with other qualifying people. Carers getting Carer's Allowance and living with the person they care for can also qualify. The rules there are fiddlier, our full guide walks through them.
One package per household. If a couple both turn 70, only one of them claims it.
The five minute check
Do this for your mother in Wexford, your father in Donegal, the aunt in Limerick who "has everything sorted".
- Is she 70 or over? If yes, she qualifies. Full stop.
- Look at the electricity or gas bill. Is there a line that says "Free Electricity Allowance" or "Household Benefits"? If yes, she is on it. If not, keep going.
- Look at the bank statement. A €35 payment from the Department of Social Protection on the first Tuesday of the month means she is on it.
- Did she pay for a TV licence this year? If she did, and she is over 70, she is almost certainly not on the package.
- Apply. Form HB1 from the post office, or online at MyWelfare.ie. You need her PPS number and the electricity or gas account number (MPRN or GPRN, it is on the bill).
It is usually put in place within a few weeks. If a TV licence was already paid this year, ask about a refund for the unused months.
Why so many people miss it
Nobody writes to you at 70 to say "you are now entitled to this". The State Pension does not trigger it. Turning 70 does not trigger it. You have to ask.
And the people most likely to miss it are the ones with no adult child looking over their shoulder at the bills. That is what this post is for.
One more thing. The payments above are national and come from the Department of Social Protection. If the house itself is the problem, the stairs, the bath, the step at the front door, that is a separate grant from the county council. It pays up to €40,000 and the rules and waiting times differ by county. Pick yours below.
Common questions
How much is the Household Benefits Package worth?
About €580 a year: €35 a month (€420 a year) towards electricity or gas, plus a free TV licence worth €160.
Do I need to be on the State Pension to get the Household Benefits Package?
No. If you are 70 or over you qualify regardless of income or what payments you get. Under 70 you need to be on a qualifying payment and meet the household conditions.
Is the Household Benefits Package means tested?
Not if you are 70 or over. Under 70 there can be a means test depending on which payment you are on.
How do I apply for the Household Benefits Package?
Form HB1 from any post office or Intreo office, or online at MyWelfare.ie. You need your PPS number and the MPRN or GPRN number from the electricity or gas bill.
Check everything at once
Put in your parent’s age, county and situation and the free finder lists every grant and payment they should be getting. About a minute, no sign-up.
Check what I qualify for →