Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2023
298. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is a national policy for providing a 35% discretionary top-up for housing assistance payment recipients with exceptional medical needs; and if so, the criteria and procedures for accessing this top-up. [15072/23]
View answer299. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options for HAP recipients who have exceptional medical needs but are not eligible for the 35% discretionary top-up; and if there is a right of appeal or any other mechanism for requesting additional support. [15073/23]
View answer300. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way local authorities are held accountable for their decisions regarding HAP recipients with exceptional medical needs; and if there is any oversight or monitoring of these decisions to ensure that they are fair, transparent, and consistent across different local authorities. [15074/23]
View answer301. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide examples of best practices for supporting HAP recipients with exceptional medical needs, including the provision of top-ups and other forms of support. [15075/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 298, 299, 300 and 301 together.
Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for housing support through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household in the administrative area of that local authority.
Since 11 July 2022 each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit and for new tenancies to extend the couple’s rate to single persons households. It should be noted that it is a matter for the local authority to determine if the application of the discretion is warranted on a case by case basis and also the level of additional discretion applied in each case.
The day-to-day operation of the social housing system is a matter for the relevant local authority, and ultimately, it is the responsibility of the local authority, to make a decision in each individual case.
Each local authority has a customer service charter and complaints procedure for applicants who may wish to make a complaint regarding the service they receive. Following that complaint, if they consider that they have been unfairly treated or are not satisfied with the Council’s decision on their complaint, it is open to them to make a complaint to the Ombudsman.
