I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 414 together.
The rent supplement scheme is currently supporting some 51,800 recipients for which the Government has provided €267 million for in 2016. Details of rent supplement recipients and expenditure under the scheme for the period from 2011 to date are provided in the tabular statement.
Under the legislative provisions governing rent supplement, 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. Statistics are not maintained on rent supplement expenditure in respect of individual landlords.
Recent analysis shows that there are approximately 39,200 landlords providing accommodation to rent supplement customers, with over 32,600 or 83% are single lettings under the scheme. Approximately 1,500 landlords or 4% of the total are providing four or more lettings under the rent supplement scheme, of which less than 10 landlords have in excess of 50 of these lettings of which a further 2 have in excess of 100.
Reporting on local authority sponsored housing initiatives, including the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.
Tabular Statement
Rent Supplement: Recipient Numbers & Expenditure: 2011 to Present
Year
|
Recipients
|
Cost €000
|
2011
|
96,803
|
502,7471
|
2012
|
87,684
|
422,536
|
2013
|
79,788
|
372,909
|
2014
|
71,533
|
338,208
|
2015
|
61,247
|
311,0592
|
2016
|
51,7953
|
|
1Changed from 502,748 on 28/04/2014
22015 Outturn
3As at end August 2016