The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) was established in 2005 and requires local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of people that are in receipt of Rent Supplement for 18 months or longer, and who are assessed as having a long-term housing need. As reflected in the following table, at the end of 2018, local authorities reported that there were 18,915 RAS tenancies in place, with total expenditure for the scheme in 2018 of just under €143.34 million.
Year
|
RAS contracts supported at end of year
|
Expenditure
|
2018
|
18,915
|
€143.34m
|
The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the leasing of houses and apartments. Properties made available under SHCEP are used to accommodate households from local authority waiting lists. The number of properties supported through SHCEP at end 2018 was 11,684 and the total SHCEP spend in 2018 was €100.4 million.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme is a flexible and immediate housing support that is now available to all eligible households throughout the State. The details requested in respect of HAP for 2018 are set out in the following table:
Year
|
Total Households supported by HAP (at end Q3 2018)
|
Outturn
(full year)
|
2018
|
43,443
|
€276.6m
|