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Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2016

Tuesday, 25 October 2016

Questions (311)

Clare Daly

Question:

311. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost per annum of all private sector rental schemes since 1991, including but not limited to, the rent allowance scheme, in tabular form. [31606/16]

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Written answers

The rent supplement scheme is currently supporting some 50,700 recipients for which the Government has provided €267 million for in 2016.

The on-going improvement in the economy, as persons exit the scheme through activation, and transfers to social housing, has led to reductions in scheme numbers and expenditure on rent supplement which peaked in 2010. Since 2014, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme has commenced supporting persons with long term housing needs through the local authorities rather than under rent supplement. The provision for rent supplement for 2014 and 2015 reflects a transfer of funding of some €20 million and €24 million respectively to support HAP.

Assistance is also provided by my Department via the rent allowance scheme which is payable, subject to a means test, to eligible persons entitled to retain possession as the tenant of a dwelling where the rent was controlled before 26 July 1982. There are currently some 80 persons receiving this allowance.

Expenditure figures for both rent supplement and the rent allowance scheme from 1999 to date are provided in the following tabular statement; expenditure data for the years 1991 to 1998 is not maintained.

Tabular Statement

Table 1 - Rent Supplement: Expenditure: 1999 to Present

Year

Cost €000

% Change

1999

128,240

 

2000

150,590

17.4%

2001

179,438

19.2%

2002

252,203

40.6%

2003

331,471

31.4%

2004

353,762

6.7%

2005

368,705

4.2%

2006

388,339

5.3%

2007

391,466

0.8%

2008

440,548

12.5%

2009

510,751

15.9%

2010

516,538

1.2%

2011

502,747

-2.7%

2012

422,536

-16%

2013

372,909

-12%

2014

338,208

-9.3%

2015

311,059

-8%

Table 2- Rent Allowance: Expenditure: 1999 to present

Year

Cost €000

% Change

1999

599

2000

761

27.0%

2001

736

-3.3%

2002

666

-9.5%

2003

675

1.3%

2004

754

11.7%

2005

855

13.4%

2006

839

-1.8%

2007

792

-5.6%

2008

732

-7.6%

2009

725

-1.0%

2010

804

10.9%

2011

700

-12.9%

2012

663

-5.3%

2013

653

-1.5%

2014

530

-18.8%

2015

550

3.8%

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