Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 January 2023
229. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to change the bands for social housing to better reflect the reality of the housing market (details supplied). [2502/23]
View answerGovernment recently agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively, with an estimated 16,000 additional households potentially eligible for social housing support as a result.
While local authorities have no scope to exceed these thresholds, they will continue to have flexibility when assessing eligibility to disregard income that is once-off, temporary or short-term and which is outside the regular pattern of a person’s annual income.
My Department has also recently begun work to scope options for a new social housing income eligibility model and I expect proposals for a new model to be submitted for my consideration in Q1 2023.
