Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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646. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if persons (details supplied) in Dublin 22 who have received a notice to quit, but who are unable to source alternative rent supplement accommodation in their own local authority can be considered for rent supplement in another local authority. [36168/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The policy and operation of rent supplement is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. The details of the particular case highlighted in the Question have been forwarded to the Department of Social Protection for further consideration.

In order to qualify for rent supplement, a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out and the person is deemed by a housing authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support. In all other cases, a person who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by the housing authority. Only when the person has been assessed as being eligible for and in need of social housing support, does the person become eligible for consideration for rent supplement. There is no entitlement to rent supplement pending the completion of this assessment.

I understand that it is the Department of Social Protection’s policy that an assessment of eligibility for social housing support should generally be carried out by the relevant local housing authority in the area where a claim to rent supplement is made and the person intends to reside. This ensures that the relevant local authorities are made aware of and can take responsibility for the long-term housing needs of rent supplement tenants living within their administrative area. This reflects both the responsibility of local authorities in providing long-term housing supports and the temporary income support nature of rent supplement.

It is in this context that the Housing Assistant Payment (HAP) scheme, which is operational in the South Dublin County Council area, is being introduced on a pilot basis across local authorities. The implementation of the HAP scheme is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. HAP provides for the transfer of responsibility for long term recipients of rent supplement who have a recognised housing need from the Department of Social Protection to the local authority sector, thus bringing all long-term social housing supports provided by the State together under the local authority system.

To be eligible for HAP, a person must first apply for and be approved for social housing support by the relevant local authority. Upon its introduction in a local authority area, HAP will replace rent supplement for those with a long-term housing need and who qualify for social housing support; rent supplement will no longer be an option for applicants in such cases. If a household is already on the local authority’s housing list and currently in receipt of rent supplement, the household will be eligible for HAP. Such households, who are in receipt of rent supplement in local authorities areas where HAP is operational, are incrementally transferring from rent supplement to HAP support.