Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 September 2022
255. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way that the income threshold for eligibility for housing aid, mobility aid and grants to support the adaptation of a home for a person with a disability are set; when they have last been updated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46494/22]
View answerThe income thresholds for the Housing Adaptation Grant for Older People and People with a Disability scheme are set by secondary legislation, namely, S.I. 670 of 2007 which was updated by S.I. 104 of 2014.
The scheme is means tested and operates on a sliding scale with the highest percentage grants available to those with the lowest incomes and vice versa. Grant assistance is not available to applicants whose household income, after disregards and deductions, exceeds €60,000 per annum. Local authorities must adhere to the income thresholds set down by the regulations, so that the funding is focused on those households who need it most.
Housing for All commits to reviewing the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Among the areas which the review, currently underway, will consider are the income thresholds, the grant limits, the application and decision making processes, including supplementary documentation required. The review will have regard to, inter alia , any relevant increases in the broader economy as appropriate including, for example, the Central Statistics Office data on earnings in the case of the income thresholds. The review is to be completed by the end of 2022.
