Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In March 2012, the Government approved in principle a joint proposal by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Social Protection to transfer responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with an established long-term housing need from the Department of Social Protection to local housing authorities. The new service would be provided using a new housing assistance payment or HAP.

It is envisaged that, unlike rent supplement, HAP would be paid on the tenant's behalf directly to the landlord within a stronger regulatory framework, with rental contribution from tenants set by reference to the differential rent for the local authority area. Some of the specific objectives of HAP included the following: to give local authorities greater flexibility to provide assistance to those in need of social housing support; facilitate removal of barriers to return to work for rent supplement recipients under a progressive graduated system; facilitate better regulation of the private rented sector, leading to improved standards of accommodation, better enforcement of levels of registration with the PRTB, and strengthened processes for ensuring tax compliance by landlords; and secure better value for money for the Exchequer in ensuring that rental payments are conditional on adherence to improved standards. The County and City Managers Association, which is represented on the project steering group, provides ongoing advice on the resources required by housing authorities to implement the new housing assistance payment. This input will continue as the detail of the scheme is developed this year.

It is intended that the scheme will be piloted by a number of housing authorities in the second half of this year, subject to the necessary housing and social welfare legislative provisions being in place including in regard to facilitating deduction of rents at source from welfare payments. After the pilot phase is complete, the scheme will be implemented generally, commencing in 2014.

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