Household benefits package electricity allowance.

[bstop]

This electricity allowance of euro 1.15 per day has not been increased for many years.
It now barely covers the standing charges and PSO levy. After these are paid each day the balance of the electricity allowance pays for less than 1 unit of electricity. An increase in this allowance is long overdue.

 

[Peanuts20]

Works out at €420 per year. There is a similar gas payment + the €200 credit all households got. Thus a home with Gas and Electricity household got €1040 in subsidies this year

Those on the fuel allowance got €924 + an additional €225 this year

Hence the total fuel and power subsidies for a household could come to €2189 this year or €182 per month. That would go a long way to covering a lot of heating and electric bills.

 

[noproblem]

Household benefits package and fuel allowance are 2 completely separate items.

bstop,
you're correct in what you're saying and hopefully it will be addressed in the coming budget, along with big increases in the state pension contrary to what a minority might wish for.

 

[gipimann]

Works out at €420 per year. There is a similar gas payment + the €200 credit all households got. Thus a home with Gas and Electricity household got €1040 in subsidies this year

Those on the fuel allowance got €924 + an additional €225 this year

Hence the total fuel and power subsidies for a household could come to €2189 this year or €182 per month. That would go a long way to covering a lot of heating and electric bills.

People getting the household benefits package get the allowance towards either electricity or gas - not both.

 

[DirectDevil]

A potentially stupid side bar question if I might ask please.

Looking at an electricity bill for an elderly relative now 65. He opted for his Household Benefit allowance to go to the electricity utility. Due to some quirk in readings (probably caused by overestimated readings which were not corrected despite being phoned in) he is currently in credit ! I cannot be sure if his daily electricity allowance has been paid for each day of the in credit billing period ?

QUESTION : If you are running a current credit balance on your electricity bill are you still entitled to receive your daily allowance or do you have to be in debit balance to receive it ?

 

[Groucho]

A potentially stupid side bar question if I might ask please.

Looking at an electricity bill for an elderly relative now 65. He opted for his Household Benefit allowance to go to the electricity utility. Due to some quirk in readings (probably caused by overestimated readings which were not corrected despite being phoned in) he is currently in credit ! I cannot be sure if his daily electricity allowance has been paid for each day of the in credit billing period ?

QUESTION : If you are running a current credit balance on your electricity bill are you still entitled to receive your daily allowance or do you have to be in debit balance to receive it ?

It's paid irrespective of your account balance (bear in mind that the Dept of Social Protection are probably unable to see someone's electricity account balance without good reason, due to GDPR!).

And it's not uncommon for electricity accounts to be in credit - especially due to the problems with reading meters during Covid.

 

[yildun]

A potentially stupid side bar question if I might ask please.

Looking at an electricity bill for an elderly relative now 65. He opted for his Household Benefit allowance to go to the electricity utility. Due to some quirk in readings (probably caused by overestimated readings which were not corrected despite being phoned in) he is currently in credit ! I cannot be sure if his daily electricity allowance has been paid for each day of the in credit billing period ?

QUESTION : If you are running a current credit balance on your electricity bill are you still entitled to receive your daily allowance or do you have to be in debit balance to receive it ?

Hi yes the HBA for electric is paid even if you account is in credit and by switching provider at the end on contract you can add some extra credit from the provider as a sign on fee,,,, if you pay by DD make sure that the provide is charging for the amount used and not an estimate that may be more than in ur current account can pay out each month allthough with new smart meters the provider should have an exact reading I think its better to have the HBA paid direct to the persons current account thanks

 

[Sue Ellen]

I think its better to have the HBA paid direct to the persons current account thanks

It is better to have the fuel allowance paid directly to your current account also because it enables you to move provider without having to move this also.