• What is Household Budget?
• How to open an Account?
• How to Add, Amend, or Delete Deductions?
• Terms and conditions
• Application forms
• Glossary 

What is Household Budget?

Household Budget allows you to pay regular amounts towards various household bills by direct deduction from certain Social Welfare payments.

To qualify for the Household Budget Scheme you must be reciept of one of the following Social Welfare payments:

• Back to Work Allowance
  
• Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
  
• Disability Allowance
  
• Blind Pension
  
• Carer's Allowance
  
• Carer's Benefit
  
• Farm Assist
  
• Invalidity Pension
  
• Jobseeker’s Benefit
  
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
  
• State Pension (Contributory)
  
• State Pension (Non–Contributory)
  
• One-Parent Family Payment
  
• Pre-Retirement Allowance
  
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
  
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non–Contributory) Pension
  
• Back to Education Allowance
  
• Supplementary Welfare Allowance (basic payment).
  

Which bills can you pay?

• Local Authority Payments
• ESB Customer Supply
• Bord Gáis Energy
• eircom

When deciding how much to pay every week towards each bill, make sure that:

• You are making the minimum payments stated for each bill type (see Deduction Guidelines)
• The total payments do not exceed 25% of your flat weekly Social Welfare payment

Deduction Guidelines

1. Local Authorities
   For deductions of rent / tenant purchase /mortgage the amount deducted per week will be equal to your weekly rent / tenant purchase / mortgage. If you are in arrears please have the deduction authorised by your local housing officer.
2. ESB Customer Supply
   A minimum of €3.50 per week applies.
3. Bord Gáis Energy
   The minimum payment per week to Bord Gáis Energy will depend on the tariff applicable to you, but is subject to a minimum payment of €4.00 per week.
4. eircom
   A minimum payment of €3.50 per week applies.

How to open an Account?

Simply complete the Household Budget Deduction Instruction Form for each bill you want to contribute towards, and Freepost it back to:
 
Household Budget
An Post
3D G.P.O.
Freepost
Dublin 1

It will take up to 21 days to process your deduction instructions.  Deduction payments will be passed on to the receiving organistation within 4 working days of receipt of your weekly payment at the Post Office.

How to Add, Amend, or Delete Deductions?

Simply complete a new Household Budget Deduction Instruction Form and Freepost it back to us.

To cancel a deduction you must give 2 weeks written notice quoting.

• your name, address, P.P.S. number
• details of the deductions you want to cancel (including account number). The deductions will be cancelled within 2 weeks of receipt of the cancellation notice.

Terms and conditions

1. This service is operated on behalf of the Minister of Social Protection by An Post. It is open to those in receipt of certain Social Welfare payments.
2. Household Budget can only be applied for if your Social Welfare payment is made through An Post.
3. If your level of Social Welfare payment is not sufficient to meet all your deductions in a particular week, An Post will make deductions up to a maximum of 25% of the weekly flat rate payment. This will be based on Local Authority payments receiving prioirty.
4. If the Minister for Social Protection has paid the Social Welfare payment to An Post, An Post's maximum liability for direct loss and damage arising from a failure to make a deduction from a Social Welfare payment will be the amount of the deduction in question. An Post will have no liability for indirect or consequential loss or damage arising from a failure to make a deduction from a Social Welfare payment.

Application forms

 Household Budget Deduction Instruction Form

Glossary of Terms

•  Deduction Guidelines