779. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm consideration will be given to increasing the Household Benefits Package monthly sum for electricity and gas from €35 to support older people with energy costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65577/26]

The Household Benefits Package comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television license. Over 561,000 household are currently in receipt of the package and the Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €317 million this year on the Household Benefits Package.

My department continues to examine key ancillary benefits such as the Fuel Allowance, Household Benefits Package and the Living Alone Increase to support vulnerable groups. This is an ongoing activity as part of the Department's budget planning each year and I will continue, as part of the budget planning process, to consider if improvements can be made to ensure that these benefits continue to target vulnerable groups.

Any future decisions, including any decision to increase the Electricity/Gas element of the Household Benefits Package will, of course, have to be considered as part of the budgetary process.

Given the many competing demands for the limited funding available to the Department, recent Budget spending increases have been targeted to ensure that it goes to those people who need help the most. The Household Benefits Package is available to those aged 70 or over regardless of means and household composition. It is also available as a supplementary allowance to those in receipt of various social welfare payments.

With regards to targeted measures, the Department provides support to households who are most vulnerable to energy poverty via the Fuel Allowance payment. The Fuel Allowance payment is a means tested payment which is targeted towards households that are at a higher risk of poverty.

The allowable means for Fuel Allowance has been significantly increased in recent years, furthermore this increase in allowable means has coincided with an expansion of income that is now disregarded for Fuel Allowance purposes and also increases to the weekly rate payable. These improvements have resulted in some 100,000 additional households qualifying for the payment and have resulted in the Budget for the scheme increasing significantly with an estimated expenditure on the scheme in 2026 of €557.4 million compared to an expenditure of €290.45 million in 2020.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.

I trust this clarifies the position.