Under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is one of the suite of social housing options available to local authorities to meet housing need. Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of support for that household.
The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Regulations and associated Policy apply to all forms of social housing support, including the HAP scheme.