Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
520. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will urgently increase the housing assistance payment rent limits for County Donegal to reflect the real cost of rent across the county and the impact of the mica defective blocks crisis on housing in the county. [1397/22]
View answer563. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider increasing the housing assistance payment limits in circumstances (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1984/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 563 together.
Increased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Programme (HAP) and the Rent Supplement Scheme were introduced in 2016. These limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DSP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre. The HAP rent limits were increased significantly, in the order of 60% in some cases.
Local authorities also have discretion, because of local rental market conditions, to exceed the maximum rent limit by up to 20%, or up to 50% in the Dublin region for those households either in, or at immediate risk of homelessness. It should be noted that it is a matter for the local authority to determine whether the application of the flexibility is warranted on a case by case basis and also the level of additional discretion applied in each case.
I am conscious that increasing the current HAP rent limits could have negative inflationary impacts, leading to a detrimental impact on the wider rental market, including for those households who are not receiving HAP support.
My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review and closely monitors the level of discretion being used by local authorities, taking into account other sources of data, including Residential Tenancies Board rent data published on a quarterly basis.
The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that HAP levels are adequate to support vulnerable households, while we increase the supply of social housing. Under Housing for All, my Department is undertaking an analytical exercise to examine whether an increase in the level of discretion available to Local Authorities under HAP is required, in order to maintain adequate levels of HAP support. This review is at an advanced stage.
