Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 September 2014
85. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the water allowance payment to all full-time carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33450/14]
View answerThe household benefits package comprises the electricity/gas allowance (€35 per month) and the free television licence scheme (€160 per annum). From 2015 it will also include a quarterly water support payment of €25. The household benefits package is paid to some 411,000 customers, with expenditure estimated at €230 million for 2014.
The package is available to all those aged 70 or over regardless of means and household composition and those in receipt of carer’s allowance who are living with the person for whom they are caring. Those between 66 and 70 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment from the Department, such as the State pension or satisfy a means test and live alone or only with certain exempted persons. The package is also available to those aged under 66 in receipt of a qualifying payment, such as disability allowance, who live alone or with exempted persons.
The household benefits package was envisaged as a way of providing some additional support for those who are elderly or on long-term, mostly means-tested welfare payments, including the carer’s allowance and disability allowance. I am not in a position to consider extending the household benefits scheme beyond the current group of qualifying payments.
