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

46. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will establish a welfare officer as a point of contact for homeless persons within the Kildare, Wicklow and Meath areas to enable homeless families to obtain help with social protection claims where no address provision is available; if she is aware that no homeless persons unit exists in this region to advise and assist persons in this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5241/16]

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

The Department of Social Protection, through the Community Welfare Service (CWS) provides assistance with income maintenance to homeless persons. The first point of contact for homeless clients to access this service is their local community welfare service.

The Rent Supplement Unit for Mid-Leinster has a number of Rent Supplement Designated Officers who deal with the issue of threatened homelessness and they liaise with homeless agencies and homeless representatives to provide immediate support by way of the Rent Supplement scheme to prevent homelessness.

Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 59,000 people for which the Government has provided a budget of approximately €267 million for 2016. There were over 20,100 rent supplement tenancies awarded during 2015 and over 2,000 rent supplement tenancies awarded during the first two months of 2016.

The Department introduced a Divisional Framework on preventing Tenancy Loss for Rent Supplement Recipientsin January 2015 to ensure consistency in dealing with Rent Supplement recipients who are at risk of homelessness or tenancy where rents are increased in excess of prescribed limits. The circumstances of tenants are considered on a case-by-case basis and Rent Supplement is paid at rates above the prescribed maximum rent limits where homelessness or the threat of homelessness is a factor. This flexible approach has assisted over 7,100 households nationwide to retain their rented accommodation through increased rent payments, with over 750 households assisted in Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. A detailed breakdown for the relevant Counties is provided.

The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support scheme. In July 2013, the Government approved the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Under HAP, the responsibility for the provision of rent support to those with long-term housing needs transferred from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to Local Authorities. This applies both to existing customers on the Rent Supplement scheme and also to new customers who have been assessed by the Local Authority as having a housing need. Officials in the Department of Social Protection continue to engage with those in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Local Authorities, including Kildare and Meath, to support the on-going transfer of persons with long term housing needs to HAP. There are now over 7,700 persons in receipt of HAP of which over 200 are in the Kildare and Meath areas. Support is also available to assist persons under the Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) scheme towards rent deposits or rent in advance for both rent supplement and HAP recipients. In 2015, DSP made a total of some 2,500 rent deposit payments at a cost of €1.4 million.

Persons in danger of becoming homeless should make immediate contact with the Community Welfare Service of the Department of Social Protection or the Threshold Tenancy Sustainment Service.

Total Increased Rental Payments by County as at 21/03/2016