Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2017
1313. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of HAP recipients per local authority; the number of households eligible for HAP; the number of households in receipt of HAP in which one or more householder is working; the amount of funding allocated through the HAP scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34309/17]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is now available to all eligible households throughout the State. There are currently more than 24,000 households having their housing needs met via HAP and some 18,000 separate landlords and agents currently in receipt of monthly HAP payments.
Exchequer funding for the HAP scheme increased from €57 million in 2016 to €152.7 million for 2017. This increase is in order to meet the continuing costs of existing HAP households, and the costs of supporting an additional 15,000 households to be supported by HAP in 2017. The HAP scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies.
HAP is a demand led social housing support; in order to be eligible for HAP support, a household must first qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list. A housing authority must carry out an assessment to establish whether the household meets specified statutory eligibility requirements and has a housing need.
The Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2016 publication brings together information provided by local authorities on households in their functional area qualified for social housing support whose social housing need is not being met. This report shows that 91,600 households were assessed as qualified for housing support as on 21 September 2016; the report is available at the following weblink: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/summary_of_social_housing_assessments_2016.pdf.
A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP in each local authority area at the end of Quarter 1 2017 is available on my Department's website http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
In relation to the number of households in receipt of HAP in which one or more householder is working, my Department does not collate this data.
I continue to keep the operation of HAP under review but I am currently satisfied with how the scheme is operating and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme committed to under Rebuilding Ireland.
