Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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489. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the domestic abuse rent supplement will be maintained or adjusted for inflation purposes in the next year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52054/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through a joined-up service delivery model provided by Tusla with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide.

Access to Rent Supplement can be provided on referral by Tusla or by prescribed Tusla funded service providers. This provides victims of domestic violence with a fast-track approval and screening process with a simplified means test to get immediate access to rent supplement so that they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns.

The standard rent supplement means test does not apply to these applicants for an initial three month period. After three months, a further three month extension may be provided, subject to the usual rent supplement means assessment. After six months, if the tenant has a long-term housing need, they can apply to their local housing authority for social housing supports and, if eligible, will be able to access the Housing Assistance Payment, a social housing support provided by Local Authorities.

While this protocol to assist victims of domestic violence in accessing rent supplement was initially introduced in August 2020 in response to the pandemic, I was pleased to announce in November last year that the measure has been made a permanent feature of the Rent Supplement Scheme, recognising that the underlying rationale for this support will be required long after the impact of the pandemic has receded.

Access to rent supplement is additional and complementary to the range of other supports already in place for victims of domestic violence.

The minimum income disregard for rent supplement has been increased by €12 to €218 per week for a single person in line with the rate increases which I announced recently in Budget 2023.

The cost of maintaining this scheme can be met from within the existing Rent Supplement budget of the Department of Social Protection. I do not anticipate that additional funding will be required and that it will be possible to meet the cost of this measure under the existing Rent Supplement budget. The service has been successfully delivered and is available nationally with active tenancies using the Protocol in all counties.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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490. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of the number of persons who have availed of the domestic abuse rent supplement since its introduction, by month, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52055/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through a joined-up service delivery model provided by Tusla with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide.

Access to Rent Supplement can be provided on referral by Tusla or by prescribed Tusla funded service providers. This provides victims of domestic violence with a fast track approval and screening process with a simplified means test to get immediate access to rent supplement so that they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns.

The standard rent supplement means test does not apply to these applicants for an initial three month period. After three months, a further three month extension may be provided, subject to the usual rent supplement means assessment. After six months, if the tenant has a long-term housing need, they can apply to their local housing authority for social housing supports and, if eligible, will be able to access the Housing Assistance Payment, a social housing support provided by Local Authorities.

While this protocol to assist victims of domestic violence in accessing rent supplement was initially introduced in August 2020 in response to the pandemic, I was pleased to announce in November last year that the measure has been made a permanent feature of the Rent Supplement Scheme, recognising that the underlying rationale for this support will be required long after the impact of the pandemic has receded.

Access to rent supplement is additional and complementary to the range of other supports already in place for victims of domestic violence.

In the period since August 2020, 243 victims of domestic violence have been supported with rent supplement under the protocol. There are 22 victims of domestic violence currently being supported under the Protocol, with a further 36 victims of domestic violence being supported on rent supplement subject to the standard rent supplement means assessment and eligibility criteria, following a period of support under the domestic violence protocol.

Table 1 shows the number accessing rent supplement support under the domestic violence protocol from August 2020 to date in 2022.