Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of occasions in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012 in which one month’s rents in advance have been provided through exceptional needs payments. [38746/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are currently over 90,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €436 million for 2012.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, a payment for rent in advance can be made as an exceptional needs payment. An exceptional needs payment may be made to help meet an essential once-off cost, which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment and each application is determined by the officer administering the SWA scheme based on the particular circumstances of the case taking account of the nature and extent of the need. Such payments are confined to occurrences which are considered to be unexpected, unforeseen or exceptional.

Payment of rent in advance ensures that individuals with particular needs can be accommodated within the scheme and specifically protects against homelessness. Details of the number of occasions rent was paid in advance for the period 2008 to date are provided in the following tabular statement.

Payment of rent in advance