Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
303. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the formula by which qualification for social housing is assessed, the documentation used to make this assessment and the overtime that is reckonable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53283/23]
View answerApplications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
An assessment of the qualification of the household for support is based on certain eligibility criteria including income and an assessment of the household's need for social housing support is based primarily on the condition or stability of tenure of the applicant's current accommodation.
The regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy.
The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and local authorities have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once-off in nature. In this context, local authorities will disregard overtime paid in the relevant 12-month assessment period up to a maximum of 10% of the applicant household's annual basic income.
The documentation required is set out in the social housing application form. A degree of discretion is permitted to the local authorities as to the extent of documentation the authority deems necessary to ascertain a household’s average income over the preceding 12 months in order to satisfy themselves of the household’s true income pattern.
