Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

55. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reductions in the number of people in receipt of rent assistance between 2010 and to date in 2014; the reasons for the fall in numbers; if she will provide a demographic breakdown of the recipients in this category, if figures are available at a county, locality or regional level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37553/14]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

58. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the rent supplement limits and introduce more flexibility in the limits for tenants who are at risk of homelessness. [37598/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 58 together.

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.

Maximum rent limits are generally reviewed every 18 months. The most recent review was completed in June 2013 with revised rent limits introduced on 17 June 2013. Despite pressures on the social protection budget, the last review saw rent limits increase in line with market rents in some areas, including Dublin and Galway, with Dublin limits increasing by a weighted average of 9%.

A review of the maximum rent limits is being undertaken within the Department. This review involves a comprehensive analysis of information from a range of sources including rental tenancies registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), the Central Statistics Office rental indices, websites advertising rental properties, relevant Departments and Agencies, landlord representative groups and non-Government organisations such as Threshold, Focus Ireland and the Society of St Vincent de Paul. Any changes to social welfare supports can only be considered in a budgetary context.

The current difficulties in the rental market and the difficulties faced by prospective tenants, including those seeking access to rent supplement, is a shortage of supply of suitable properties in areas of high demand. The Government has recently launched its Construction Strategy with the aim of increasing housing supply generally.

I can assure the Deputies that officers administering rent supplement throughout the country have considerable experience in dealing with customers and make every effort to ensure that their accommodation needs are met. Discretionary powers are available to staff to award a supplement for rental purposes in exceptional cases where it appears that the circumstances of the case so warrant. A notice reminding staff of their statutory discretionary power to award a supplement for rental purposes in exceptional cases, for example, when dealing with applicants who are at risk of losing their tenancy was circulated in July 2014.

In view of the current supply difficulties, the Department has agreed a protocol with the Dublin local authorities and voluntary organisations so that families on rent supplement who are at risk of losing their accommodation can have more timely and appropriate interventions made on their behalf. Since the launch of this initiative in mid-June 2014, over 120 families have had their rent supplement claims revised by the Department.

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 are working closely with those in the lead Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, in introducing HAP on a phased basis, in the selected local authorities.

The number of recipients on the rent supplement scheme increased from 59,700 in 2007 to a maximum of 97,000 in 2010 and has since decreased to the current figure of approximately 73,500. This reduction is attributable to a number of factors including the rate of unemployment, transfer of recipients to social housing, changes in rent levels and increases to the minimum contribution payable by rent supplement tenants.

Rent supplement recipients by county from 2010 to date are provided in the attached tabular statement. A demographic breakdown of these figures is not available.

Rent Supplement: Recipient Numbers by County 2010 to present.