I propose to take Questions Nos. 584 and 592 together.
Any household wishing to access social housing support is required to apply to its local authority to be assessed under the eligibility and need criteria set down in current housing legislation. Household income is assessed in accordance with a standard Household Means Policy, which sets out the manner in which housing authorities will assess the means of applicant households for the purpose of determining the household’s ability to provide accommodation from its own means and by extension its eligibility, or otherwise, for social housing support. The Policy also provides for a range of income disregards, and housing authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once off.
The Policy does not provide for the disregard from income of any payments made to creditors as part of a bankruptcy agreement. I understand that potential housing costs are factored in as part of the household’s “reasonable living expenses” when determining the level of payments to apply during the life of the bankruptcy agreement. Given the nature and duration of bankruptcy payments it is not deemed appropriate to disregard them for the purpose of eligibility to long term housing support.
