Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1984. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of households in each county in receipt of rent supplement in tabular form. [26648/17]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1985. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of households in each county that have had their rent supplement increased above the prescribed rent limit, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26649/17]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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2082. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the full year estimated cost of increasing rent supplement and HAP limits in line with market rents. [28518/17]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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2104. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing rent supplement limits nationwide by 10%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28869/17]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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2133. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing rent supplement limits and HAP limits to county market rents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28987/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1984, 1985, 2082, 2104 and 2133 together.

Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 42,300 recipients for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017.

Rent supplement is subject to a statutory limit on the amount of rent that an applicant may incur. The Department carried out a review of the rent limits in line with the commitments contained in the Programme for a Partnership Government. Increased limits for rent supplement were introduced in all areas of the country with effect from 1 July 2016 at a cost of up to €12 million in 2016. The rent limit review conducted represents a realignment of the maximum rent limits with agreed rents generally benchmarked against the 35th percentile of those rents registered with the Residential Tenancies Board.

Initial analysis shows that increasing rent limits by 10%, for 42,300 rent supplement recipients, would result in a full year cost of approximately €32 million. The use of market rents, as published by the residential tenancies board for Q1 2017, would result in full year additional costs of approximately €45 million. Any proposed increase in maximum rent limits must consider the implications for the wider residential market, in particular any distortion which may reduce availability and alternatives for low income working families renting. Previous analysis has shown that increasing rent limits would have a very limited impact in the provision of additional units for the scheme given the extremely low levels of supply of available rentable housing stock being experienced throughout the State. Costs related to housing assistance payment scheme are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

In recognition of the on-going rental market difficulties, my Department implements a targeted case-by-case policy approach that allows for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of the rent limits. Since the introduction of this flexible approach during 2014, almost 11,800 persons at imminent risk of homelessness have been supported through increased rent supplement payments. To date in 2017, in excess of 1,000 recipients have been supported with increased rent payments. A county breakdown of the payments made in 2017 and overall recipient numbers is provided in the attached tabular statement.

As the Deputies will be aware that the strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support with the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, now available nationwide.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.

Tabular Statement: County analysis of rent supplement recipients & increased payments awarded in 2017