Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2026
558. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the eligibility criteria for the electricity allowance under the household benefits package; if medical dependency on electricity is considered in eligibility decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31913/26]
View answerPeople 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. Likewise, the package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.
In general, access to the Household Benefits Package for those aged under 66 is a secondary benefit linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary social protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. As many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact ranging from mild to severe, entitlement to these social welfare schemes is not provided on the basis of a diagnosis but on the basis of the impact of that diagnosis on the individual concerned and in the case of Disability and Carer's allowance to an assessment of their means. In this way, resources can be targeted to people in most need.
Any decision to enhance the Household Benefits Package, including any decision to extend to those who have a medical dependency on electricity would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
The Programme for Government includes a commitment to examine key ancillary benefits such as the Fuel Allowance, Household Benefits Package and Living Alone Increase to support vulnerable groups. This is an ongoing activity as part of the Department's budget planning each year and I will continue, as part of the budget planning process, to consider if improvements can be made to ensure that these benefits continue to target vulnerable groups.
I trust this clarifies the position.
