Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps she is taking to ensure that proposed changes to rent supplements will not result in tenants and those depending on such payments becoming homeless; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22123/09]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 477: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on the changes to the system of rent supplement (details supplied). [22766/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 477 together.

There are currently over 88,000 people in receipt of rent supplement, an increase of 48% since the end of December 2007. The recent Supplementary Budget provided for an increase in the weekly minimum contribution payable towards rent from €18 to €24 a week, with effect from 1 June 2009. It also provided that payments currently being made to existing rent supplement tenants be reduced by 8% from the same date. While tenants may be contractually obliged to pay the rent agreed to in their lease, it is expected that landlords will decrease the rent in recognition of the fact that rents have fallen generally and that there is now a large number of vacant rental properties nationally.

Data published by the CSO show that rents fell by almost 7% between November 2008 and February 2009. A leading property website recently reported that rents have fallen by almost 16% in the twelve months to March 2009 with 5% of the fall occurring since the start of 2009. It is essential that state support for tenants who form a substantial section of the rental market, does not give rise to inflated rental prices. Other changes in the Supplementary Budget provided for new maximum rent limits to be prescribed in regulations to take effect from 1 June 2009 to reflect the general reductions in private sector rent levels.

Existing recipients of rent supplement were advised by letter in advance of the change being made to their rent payment from 1 June 2009 and this communication can be shown to landlords as evidence of the revised rent supplement in payment in individual cases. Landlords were advised through advertising in national and provincial newspapers of the general reduction in rent supplement payments. A number of organisations representing landlords and tenants were also contacted and advised of the changes to the rent supplement scheme. In the current climate, where there is a large number of vacant rental properties, it is expected that people will be able to get accommodation at the appropriate rental level.

Community Welfare Officers have discretion to provide assistance where exceptional circumstances exist in any individual case e.g. where homelessness might result due to the inability of a person to meet their rent payment. The Department is also in discussions with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding the role of local authorities who are responsible for providing a wide range of social housing supports for those with a long-term housing need.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 457: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will provide details of the free schemes available within her Department; the number of people eligible for free schemes over the past five years; the amount of money spent on free schemes over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22129/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The free travel scheme and household benefits package are additional benefits available to customers who satisfy the required qualifying criteria. The household benefits package comprises the electricity or gas allowance, telephone allowance and free lifetime television licence.

Details of the number of people benefiting from each allowance and the cost of each allowance for the last five years are set out in the tables below.

Customer Numbers: