Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2017
338. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to make changes to current legislation that deters rent supplement recipients from returning to full-time education in order to improve their skills and therefore their chances of securing stable employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4374/17]
View answerThe rent supplement scheme, the purpose of which is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, is currently supporting approximately 47,100 tenants at a total cost of €253 million in 2017.
Under Social Welfare legislation, people engaged in full-time education are generally excluded from receiving rent supplement. Those participating in approved courses under the back-to-education allowance (BTEA) or the vocational training opportunities scheme (VTOS) can retain entitlement to rent supplement, subject to meeting all other conditions of the scheme.
I have no plans to amend the conditions for the rent supplement scheme at this time. The strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support scheme. Under the new Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to those with a long-term housing need transfers from my Department to the local authorities. Under HAP, people can return to full time education and generally continue to receive housing support.
From 1st December 2016, the HAP scheme is now operational in 28 of the 31 local authority areas. It is expected that HAP will be fully rolled out to the remaining Dublin administrative areas from 1st March 2017.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
