Martin Browne
Question:414. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cost of HAP payments in each local electoral area in County Tipperary over the past five years. [13453/21]
View answerWednesday, 10 March 2021
Questions (414)
Written answers
My Department does not hold data on Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancies by local electoral area, but rather collects and publishes data by local authority area.
A breakdown of the number of tenancies supported under HAP for the period 2014 to 2020, broken down by local authority, is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision .
HAP is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. At end Q4 2020 there were nearly 60,000 households in receipt of HAP and over 33,520 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme. HAP commenced in Tipperary on 29 June 2015 and the total numbers of active HAP tenancies at end Q4 2020 was 1,868. The Q4 2020 average monthly rent paid to landlords under the HAP scheme in Tipperary was €503.69.
In respect of the provision of HAP funding, Limerick City and County Council provides a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. This HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord. Accordingly, my Department does not recoup individual local authorities in respect of HAP rental payments in their administrative areas but, rather, recoups all landlord costs via the HAP SSC.
Data in relation to funding provided by the State for HAP tenancies, broken down by local authority area, can be found on my Department's website at this link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#housing-assistance-payment
This funding represents the portion paid after receipt of the differential rent – that is, the tenant contribution - paid by the tenant to the local authority.
Question No. 415 answered with Question No. 374.