Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Department of Social Protection

Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility

Photo of Denise MitchellDenise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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276. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason rent allowance is not allowed for victims of domestic violence who have had to leave their private home because of a crime on their person and if this can be changed. [11300/16]

Photo of Mick WallaceMick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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287. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to raise limits under the rent supplement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11469/16]

Photo of John BradyJohn Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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338. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the rent supplement scheme is fit for purpose; and if he is aware of the difficulties for persons trying to find and secure properties that fail to comply with his Department's thresholds. [11826/16]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 276, 287 and 338 together.

Supports in relation to housing and the provision of financial supports, such as the rent supplement scheme currently supporting some 56,800 recipients at a cost of €267 million in 2016, are a key priority for Government and are being considered by the Cabinet Committee on Housing in the context of the Programme for Government housing commitments. My Department is currently examining the rent limits in the context of the Government commitment and it is my intention that revised rent limits will be introduced as early as possible, subject to agreement by Government.

At this time of constrained supply, the Department continues to implement a targeted, flexible, case-by-case approach where rents exceed limits.This ensures that people at risk of homelessness or loss of their tenancy are supported under the rent supplement scheme where increased rental payments are required. Currently, over 8,000 households are supported through this approach.

The strategic policy direction of my Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term support scheme mainly for unemployed people, addressing long-term support needs through Government initiatives such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme and the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme. HAP is being implemented on an incremental basis and is currently available in 19 local authorities across the country.

Where HAP is not in operation, in order to qualify for a 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 within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and the person is deemed by a local authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support. In all other cases, a new applicant who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by a 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.

Where a person’s safety and well-being are at risk due to domestic violence, Department officials operating the rent supplement scheme have discretionary powers to expedite the award of a payment to the person in question.

This Department may also make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure. It is expected that the expenditure on the ENP scheme in 2016 will be in excess of €30 million. ENP’s are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case, including those in a domestic violence situation, in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

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