Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021
433. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the social welfare payments that are calculated for the purpose of the assessment for social housing; if he will provide details of the payments that are exempt; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51041/21]
View answer475. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way that income is assessed for the purposes of social housing support, including details of income limits, allowances per child, payments that are included in calculation and if the working family payment is included for the purposes of the calculation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51039/21]
View answer476. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the income limit for a family of two parents and six children registered on the housing lists in Dublin to be eligible for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51040/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 433, 475 and 476 together.
Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The 2011 Regulations do not provide local authorities with any discretion to exceed the limits that apply to their administrative areas.
The income bands are expressed in terms of a maximum net income threshold for a single-person household, with an allowance of 5% for each additional adult household member, subject to a maximum allowance under this category of 10% and separately a 2.5% allowance for each child.
A table setting out the details of the three bands and the limits currently applicable in each local authority area is available on the Department's website at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/04c69-social-housing-support-table-of-income-limits/.
Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all local authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Additional Superannuation Contribution. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and local authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature. However, with the exception of the specific payments listed in the Household Means Policy as being disregarded, all income from social insurance and social assistance payments, allowances and benefits, including Working Family Payment, is assessable.
More detail on what income is assessable and the full list of disregards is available on the Department's website at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/fb1f2-social-housing-support-household-means-policy/.
The determination of whether an applicant household meets the income criteria is based on a calculation of their preceding 12 months’ net average income prior to the date of receipt of application. This ensures that the most comprehensive picture of a household’s current and previous income is available at the point of carrying out the assessment.
The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. It is important to note that the limits introduced in 2011 also reflected a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn, both promoting sustainable communities and also providing a degree of future-proofing.
Given the cost to the State of providing social housing, it is considered prudent and fair to direct resources to those most in need of social housing support. The current income eligibility requirements generally achieve this, providing for a fair and equitable system of identifying those households facing the greatest challenge in meeting their accommodation needs from their own resources.
As part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of income eligibility for social housing supports in each local authority area is underway. As set out in "Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland", the efficiency of the banding model and its application to local authorities will be considered. Equivalisation as between singles and families will also be considered. The review will also have regard to new initiatives being brought forward in terms of affordability and Cost Rental housing. I intend that the review will be completed this year.
