Written answers

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Department of Social Protection

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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27. To ask the Minister for Social Protection why Intreo is writing to recipients of long-tern rent supplement and stating that it will suspend their payments if they do not transfer across to the housing assistance payment scheme, HAPS; the action she will take against those recipients who cannot access HAP accommodation or who do not wish to take up HAP accommodation as it will lead to a longer period waiting for a council or an approved housing body allocation. [6600/16]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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66. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of housing assistance payment recipients and households and the number of households she envisages transitioning from rent supplement to the HAP by the end of 2016, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7205/16]

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 66 together.

The strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support scheme. Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to those with a long-term housing need transfers to the local authorities. Rent supplement will continue to play a vital role in housing families and individuals to those with a short term need, generally because of a temporary loss of employment.

The implementation of HAP is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. HAP will contribute to providing a more integrated and streamlined system of social housing supports and has been designed to allow households that find full-time employment to remain in the scheme which is consistent with the Government’s commitments under the Pathways to Work programme. The Department is fully engaged in the roll-out of HAP and officials work closely with colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and local authorities to ensure the successful implementation of the scheme.

Social Welfare legislation provides that persons in receipt of long term rent supplement can be requested to apply to the local authority for social housing support for their household and for a social housing assessment. This ensures that the relevant local authorities are made aware of the long-term housing needs of rent supplement tenants living within their administrative area and reflects both the responsibility of local authorities in providing long term housing supports and the temporary income support nature of rent supplement. Payment of rent supplement can be suspended where persons do not comply with the request to apply for social housing support or who do not take up an offer of HAP as a form of social housing support.

HAP is currently operational in 19 of the 31 local authority areas and there are almost 8,300 households in receipt of HAP. Some 2,990 (36%) of the HAP cases have been transferred from rent supplement and 5,300 (64%) are new cases. There is an overall target to achieve 10,000 HAP cases in 2016, which includes new cases and transfers from rent supplement. The numbers of those expected to transfer from rent supplement on a county basis is not available. The management of the transfer of rent supplement cases to HAP is undertaken through close engagement between Department officials and the relevant local authority. As the scheme rolls out it is envisaged that the proportion of HAP households that transfer from rent supplement will increase.

Households benefitting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support, should they wish to do so, through the transfer option. Policy in relation to housing allocations is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.

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