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Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2021

Tuesday, 7 December 2021

Questions (364)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

364. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount provided in the form of electricity allowance payment under the households benefit package since 2011; the number of units of electricity that electricity allowance corresponds to in each year since 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59995/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Household Benefits Package is paid to over 482,000 households at an estimated cost of €265m in 2021. Of this cost, €174m relates to the electricity allowance element. The Household Benefits package is a contribution towards the running costs of a household, it is not intended to meet these costs in full. Only one Household Benefits Package is payable per household.

The annual expenditure on electricity allowance as part of the Household Benefits Package from 2011 to 2021 is set out in the following table, which includes the number of units and unit rates in 2011 and 2012 before the payment structure changed in 2013.

Year

Annual Electricity allowance expenditure (of HHB Package)

No. of Units & Unit rate

Annual value to customer*includes PSO Levy and Standing Charge

2011

€179,251,000

January – 2,400 at €0.141September – 1,800 at €0.141October – 1,800 at €0.1619

€526 * €430 * €473 *

2012

€176,740,000

Jan – Dec 1,800 at €0.1619

€473 *

2013

€165,000,000

** new payment structure

€420

2014

€154,550,000

€420

2015

€149,580,000

€420

2016

€157,410,000

€420

2017

€157,790,000

€420

2018

€155,460,000

€420

2019

€166,210,000

€420

2020

€171,998,000

€420

2021

€173,680,000 (estimate)

€420

**The payment structure of the electricity allowance was changed from January 2013 moving from a unit-based allowance to a cash/credit allowance at €1.15 per day or, an average of €35 monthly, which was the best available market rate at the time. The new structure was designed to encourage customers to move between energy providers to attain the best value for their individual energy needs. Under the new structure, it also became possible to carry forward any unused entitlement, including when switching between energy providers.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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