Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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53. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection why there are so many recipients of rent supplement in the local authorities where the housing assistance payment has been rolled out, given that the level of allowable rent is much higher under the housing assistance payment than under the rent supplement; and the number of new recipients of rent supplement since the housing assistance payment has been rolled out in the local authorities where it is available by local authority. [44265/15]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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64. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients under the rent supplement scheme, of active tenancies under the housing assistance payment scheme, the number of households who have applied to have their rent supplement increased above the current threshold, the number who have had their rent supplement increased, the number who have been refused, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44432/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 64 together.

Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 62,000 people at a cost of €298 million in 2015. The provision for 2015 represents a transfer of funding in excess of €20 million to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to support the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Approximately 18,800 rent supplement tenancies have been awarded this year. A county breakdown of this information and current rent supplement recipients is provided in the attached tabular statement, however a breakdown by local authority is not maintained.

The Department’s strategic direction is to transfer responsibility of persons with long term housing needs to the local authorities under HAP. In local authority areas where HAP is in place, new applicants assessed as requiring social housing support will be considered for HAP rather than rent supplement. Rent supplement will continue to be paid to households who are already in the private rented sector but who, generally because of a loss of income through unemployment, require a short term income support to pay their rent. Progress is being made in transferring persons in receipt of rent supplement for periods in excess of 18 months to HAP, with almost 2,000 cases transferred to date. The complete transfer from rent supplement to HAP for those tenancies which require long term housing support will occur over time. Officials in the Department continue to work closely with those in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the local authorities to further roll out HAP and to ensure that customers are supported in the transition from rent supplement. Policy responsibility and reporting on HAP is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

In view of the reduction of supply in the private rented market and increasing rents at this time, the Department of Social Protection has implemented a policy approach that allows for flexibility in assessing customers’ individual accommodation needs on a case by case basis. Departmental staff administering rent supplement have a statutory discretionary power to award or increase a supplement for rental purposes, for example, when dealing with applicants who are risk of losing their tenancy or in danger of homelessness. This flexible approach has already assisted approximately 5,500 rent supplement households throughout the country to retain their rented accommodation. A county breakdown of the number of payments made in excess of the current rent limits is also provided in the attached tabular statement. Statistics are not maintained on the number of applications requested and refused rent supplement increases.

These measures and the reforms to the private rental sector announced last month will provide increased certainty for both tenants and landlords in the current market.

Table 1: Rent Supplement Recipients by County, End November 2015

Table 2: New Rent Supplement Recipients in 2015

Table 3: Total Increased Rental Payments by County at 07/12//2015