Are you entitled to the Household Benefits Package?

In this time of economic misery, its necessary for you to claim all of your entitlements. Due to the nature of the Irish Welfare service, you may not be aware of these entitlements. For example, If you satisfy a number of conditions, you may qualify for the Household Benefits Package.

The Household Benefits Package is made up of:

• The Electricity Allowance
• The Natural Gas Allowance
• The Electricity (Group Account) Allowance
• The Bottled Gas Refill Allowance
• The Telephone Allowance
• The Free Television Licence.

Broken down:

The Electricity Allowance-
This covers up to 400 units of electricity in each two month billing period. It also covers the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy and VAT on the levy.

The Natural Gas Allowance-
Since 1 November 2009, you get €52 deducted from your gas bill every 2 months for the summer months. For gas used during the winter months, you get €111 deducted from your gas bill every 2 months. The summer months are from June to November. The winter months are from December to May. If you don't use your full allowance you can carry up to €150 to your next bill.

The Bottled Gas Refill Allowance-
If your home is not connected to an electricity/natural gas supply but you satisfy the conditions of the scheme, you can avail of the Bottled Gas Refill Allowance of €40.70 each month instead.  The Bottled Gas Refill Allowance is only available to people who do not have an electricity or natural gas supply.

The Telephone Allowance-
This is a payment towards your mobile phone or landline phone bill. You can get only one Telephone Allowance per household which can be used for either a mobile phone or landline but not both. If you use the Telephone Allowance for your landline phone, it is paid as a credit on your phone bill. If you use the Telephone Allowance for your mobile phone, you can use it to pay your mobile phone bill or to buy credit for your phone.

The Free Television License-
When you qualify for the Household Benefits Package, the Department issues you with a TV licence, and also notifies An Post of your entitlement to a free licence for as long as you are entitled to the Household Benefits Package.

Am I entitled to this package?
You may qualify for the Household Benefits Package if:
You are aged 70 or over
OR
You are getting Carers Allowance
OR
You are caring for a person who is receiving Prescribed Relative's Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance
OR
You are between 66 and 70 and are receiving

• State Pension (Contributory)
• State Pension (Non Contributory)

• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• An ordinary Garda Widow's Pension from the Department of Justice and Law Reform or
• An equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement

and live alone or only with certain excepted persons - see 'Excepted persons' below.
OR
You are under 66 and are receiving:

• Invalidity Pension
• Blind Pension
• Incapacity Supplement or Workmen's Compensation with Disablement Pension (for at least 12 months)
•  Disability Allowance
• An equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement

and live alone or only with certain excepted persons.

If you believe that you might qualify for this package, and want help with pursuing it, feel free to contact you local Sinn Féin councillor.

Kelly, AnthonySinn Féin
3 Glenbrook, Wexford Town
Mobile phone: 087 1361785
Email: cllrakelly@eircom.net

Mythen, JohnnySinn Féin
Ballyorril, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Mobile phone: 087-9847278

Are you entitled to a council house?

Local authorities in Ireland are the main provider of social housing for people who need housing and cannot afford to buy their own homes. Local authority housing is allocated according to housing need, and rents are based on your ability to pay.

If you think you may qualify, you should apply to your local authority, which will take account of factors such as your household size, income, your present accommodation (if any), the condition of that accommodation and any special circumstances, including age, disability, medical circumstances, etc. Some local authorities in Ireland impose an income limit on applicants. Someone from the local authority may visit you to assess your present housing circumstances.

There is nothing to stop you applying to more than one local authority, for example, you might register on a county council list, in addition to an urban district council in that area. Local authorities have the power to accept applications from people who do not live in their area, but practice varies from area to area.

If you are accepted by the local authority as being in need of housing, you are then placed in the local authority housing waiting list. Each local authority draws up its own rules for deciding order of priority on the waiting list, called "'schemes of letting priorities". You can get a copy from your local authority. Some local authorities operate a points system. Each household on the waiting list is given a number of points depending on its circumstances. The greater your housing need, the more points you get.

You may be able to specify areas where you would like to live, but you should remember that if you choose a popular area, you may wait longer for an offer of housing than if you choose a less popular area.

As houses become available to your local authority for letting (renting out), they are allocated from the waiting list in order of priority, taking account of all the relevant circumstances. If you want to know your position on the waiting list, your local authority will inform you. You should remember that your position may go up or down depending on the circumstances of other people on the housing waiting list and as your own circumstances change. In practice, priority is generally given to families and elderly people rather than single people or couples without children.

If you are offered a house you do not want, you can refuse it. But if the local authority thinks that you do not have a good reason for refusing the offer of the house, it may reduce your priority on the waiting list, particularly if you refuse more than one offer.

Local authority housing is unfurnished. If you are offered a local authority home and you do not have and cannot afford to buy furniture or appliances, you may be eligible for help from the HSE's local Community Welfare Officer.

If you need help on this or any other issue effecting you in Wexford, please feel free to contact one of local SF councillors or your local SF cumann.

Cllr Anthony Kelly - Wexford town - 0871361785
Cllr Johnny Mythen - Enniscorthy - 0879847278