Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2022
348. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider asking councils not to consider working family payment and carers’ allowance when calculating rent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51761/22]
View answer349. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will finish the review of the differential rents scheme; if this will be made a reserved function as promised in the 'Putting People First' document in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51762/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together.
Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay.
Local discretion and flexibility are inherent in the devolved administration of rent schemes and different approaches are taken to rent setting across local authorities. Accordingly, decisions regarding the sources of income included and disregarded for rent assessment purposes, including the Carer's Allowance and Working Family Payment, are a matter for individual local authorities. My Department has no role in this regard.
Housing for All commits to developing proposals for a standardised national differential rents scheme across the country. The timing of this work is being considered as part of the current review of Housing for All and having regard to the significant changes in the economic environment over the past year.
