The Household Benefits Package pays €1.15 a day towards your electricity or gas bill and gives you a free TV licence. That's roughly €420 a year off the bill, before the licence is counted at all.
And here is the part almost nobody knows. If you are 70 or over, gov.ie says it plainly: it is not means tested, and you do not need to be getting a qualifying payment. It does not matter what is in your bank account, what you own, or whether you have a private pension.
The package at a glance
- What you get: €1.15 a day towards electricity or gas, plus a free TV licence
- Roughly: €420 a year on the energy allowance alone
- Paid: into your bank account or post office, first Tuesday of each month
- Aged 70+: no means test, no qualifying payment needed
- Aged 66–70: available if you meet the conditions
- Under 66: available on Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension or Carer's Allowance
- Limit: one package per household, and you must live in Ireland full time
- Apply: MyWelfare.ie, or form HB1 by post
Who qualifies
If you're 70 or over
You qualify. There is no means test and no requirement to be on any other social welfare payment. The only conditions are that you live in Ireland full time and that nobody else in the house is already getting the package.
If you're between 66 and 70
You may still get it if you meet the necessary conditions. Where a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant does not have a qualifying payment of their own, a means test applies to them.
If you're under 66
You can qualify on any of these:
- Disability Allowance
- Invalidity Pension
- Blind Pension
- Carer's Allowance — but only if you live with the person you care for
What it actually pays
The Free Electricity Allowance or Free Gas Allowance is €1.15 per day. It goes into your bank account or post office on the first Tuesday of every month, and the amount varies slightly with the number of days in the month.
One change worth knowing: since 8 September 2025, new applicants are paid directly to a nominated bank account or post office rather than as credit on the utility bill. People already receiving it as bill credit can stay on that arrangement while nothing else in their circumstances changes.
When you qualify, you can also apply for the free TV licence from its next renewal date, as part of the same application.
How to apply
Common questions
I have savings and a private pension. Does that rule me out?
My son lives with me and works. Does that stop it?
Can I get it on gas and electricity?
I'm a carer under 66. Do I qualify?
gov.ie — Household Benefits Package, last updated 10 August 2026. The 116,000 figure is from the Department of Social Protection's own analysis, released to The People's Pocket under Freedom of Information, ref FOI-2026-30097.
This guide is general information, not financial or tax advice. Amounts and conditions can change — always confirm the current details on gov.ie before you claim.
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