Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 July 2022
153. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been any further consideration to review the household benefits package due to the increases in the cost-of-living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34718/22]
View answer524. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to bring any proposals to Cabinet ahead of the October 2022 budget to change the current rates of household benefit package that relate to gas and electricity costs; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that these rates have not altered in many years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34916/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 524 together.
The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB for over 492,000 customers. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.
Any decision to enhance or increase the electricity and gas aspect of the package would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in that overall budgetary context.
The Government is acutely aware of recent price increases and their impact on households who are dependent on social welfare. For this reason, this Government did not await a further budget cycle to address these challenges but acted early. Overall, the tax and spending measures we have introduced to ease the burden and provide support to those most in need have amounted to €2.4 billion.
All of these measures will be kept under review, together with trends in prices, to inform preparations for the budget later this year.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
