Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 May 2013
30. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently receiving rent supplement; the length of time for which the rent supplement is intended to be supplied; the number of persons who have been in receipt of rent supplement for one year, two years, three years, four years and five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25710/13]
View answer35. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update in relation to the proposal to transfer from rent supplement to housing assistance payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25711/13]
View answer54. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that rent supplement is not payable directly to the landlord; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25712/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 35 and 54 together.
There are currently approximately 86,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013. The purpose of rent supplement 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. Details of cases in payment over 18 months are notified on a quarterly basis to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG). I attach a tabular statement outlining details of the numbers of customers in receipt of the supplement for one to five years.
The Government has approved, in principle, the transfer of responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to persons with a long term housing need from this Department to housing authorities using a new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Officials in the Department are working closely with those in DECLG to develop proposals to give effect to this transfer. DECLG has advised that piloting of HAP is subject to the necessary legislative requirements being in place.
Under the proposed arrangements for HAP, landlords will receive the rent for the property directly from the housing authority. Unlike the rent supplement scheme, where the Department’s relationship is with the tenant; the tenant makes the application for rent supplement and payment is made to the tenant to assist them with their accommodation needs. There is no direct relationship between the landlord and the Department in the administration of the scheme. However, social welfare legislation provides for the payment of a rent supplement payment to a nominated payee such as a landlord on behalf of the tenant. This arrangement is entered at the tenant’s request and subject to the consent of the Department. The official dealing with the request will take into account all the relevant circumstances of the particular case and the tenant’s preference will be accommodated where possible.
Tabular Statement
Rent Supplement by Claim Duration, End March 2013
|
Claim Duration (Years) |
Recipients |
|
Up to 1 |
31,729 |
|
1 to 2 |
21,724 |
|
2 to 3 |
13,609 |
|
3 to 4 |
9,032 |
|
4 to 5 |
4,878 |
|
5+ |
5,403 |
|
Total |
86,375 |
Note:
(1) Claims with duration of precisely 1 year are recorded under the 1-2 years heading, claims with duration of precisely 2 years are recorded under the 2-3 years heading and so on.
(2) This represents unbroken continuous claims only.
