Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 May 2023
125. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the factors considered when determining a decision on whether to award the discretionary HAP levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23438/23]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support available for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. Eligible households can source their own accommodation in the private rental sector which should be within the HAP rent limits provided to them by the 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.
Local authorities should ensure that HAP payments for a given household do not exceed the rents in the local area concerned, and that rent limits along with the discretion available should not have any inflationary effect on the market in the area.
Local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that tenancies are sustainable and are advised not to provide HAP support to tenancies where the household would not be in a position to meet the rental costs being sought.
A separate review of the discretion available to Homeless HAP tenancies in Dublin, which is up to 50% above the prescribed maximum rent limits, is currently being undertaken by my Department, in conjunction with The Housing Agency.
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.
