Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2012
305. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline specifically the circumstances under which community welfare officers may provide a deposit to rent supplement applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44325/12]
View answerThe purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short-term assistance and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently approximately 92,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided €436 million in 2012.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential once-off cost, such as a payment of a rent deposit, which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. Over €2 million has been paid in rent deposits during 2012. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment and each application is determined by the person administering the SWA scheme based on the particular circumstances of the case taking account of the nature and extent of the need. Such payments are confined to occurrences which are considered to be unexpected, unforeseen or exceptional. This form of assistance may be payable to those relying on the private rented market to meet their housing needs who are on low incomes and may not be in position to provide for a deposit from within their own resources or those who are at risk of or who are homeless. Multiple rent deposits are not generally paid to the same person and every effort is made to ensure that only one payment is made. If the landlord or tenant terminates the tenancy, the tenant can use the returned deposit to secure a new tenancy.
