Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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60. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on implementing transitional arrangements for persons returning to work so that they can continue to receive rent allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37406/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently approximately 73,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.

The rent supplement assessment provides for a gradual withdrawal of payment as hours of employment or earnings increase. Where a person has additional income in excess of the standard weekly rate of supplementary welfare allowance, the first €75 of such additional income together with 25% of any additional income above €75 is disregarded for means assessment purposes.

Rent supplement is not payable where a person or spouse/partner is in full time employment of 30 hours or more per week. However, a person on rent supplement who is deemed by a local authority to be eligible to participate in the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) may engage in full-time employment, subject to satisfying the standard means test, and may still be paid rent supplement.

The Department’s strategic policy direction is to transfer responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need to local authorities under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Officials of the Department are working closely with those in the lead Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, in introducing HAP on a phased basis, initially in Cork County, Limerick City and County and Waterford City and County from 15th September 2014. Under the HAP scheme, recipients will pay a differential rent to the local authority allowing them to take up full-time employment, while still receiving housing support.