Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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612. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to review the eligibility criteria for the housing assistance payment scheme, particularly in cases where a family surpasses the income threshold due to receiving a carer’s benefit allowance for a child with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16795/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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In order for a household to qualify for HAP, they must first be assessed as eligible for social housing support by their local authority. Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.

The 2011 Social Housing Assessment Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy.

Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all local authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Additional Superannuation Contribution. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, which includes Carer's Benefit and Carer's Allowance. Local authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature.

My Department is currently in the process of reviewing assessable and non assessable income under the Policy in order to ensure it continues to be appropriate.

Housing for All includes a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing. From this review, completed in November 2021, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties. Government also agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds thus increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

The review further recommended the commissioning of research to develop options for a revised or new social housing income eligibility model. My Department received this detailed research, commissioned by the Housing Agency. The scope of the research included examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and population conditions and the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced.

My Department is now undertaking a detailed examination of the report, in order to develop a new social housing income eligibility model in line with the Housing for All Action Plan update. This detailed examination will include consultation with stakeholders and will look at, inter alia, how the social housing income limits system interacts with other housing supports and ensure that they continue to target households correctly.