Louise O'Reilly
Question:459. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if tenants in cost rental tenancies are able to access rent supplement; and if not, the reason this is the case. [16172/24]
View answerTuesday, 16 April 2024
Questions (459)
Written answers
The Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage provides significant funding under the Housing for All strategy to support the provision of Cost Rental homes. Local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and also private providers (under the new Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental investment scheme) currently provide Cost Rental homes.
Cost Rental is a form of tenure introduced under the Affordable Housing Act 2021, where rents are set only to cover the cost of financing, building, managing and maintaining the homes. It assists a cohort of renters who face significant affordability challenges meeting high rents in the private sector.
One of the qualifying criteria for any type of household applying for a Cost Rental home is that a household member is not in receipt of any social housing supports, including the Housing Assistance Payment or Rent Supplement.
In terms of my own Department, Rent Supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting 7,781 active recipients at the end of March 2024. The purpose of Rent Supplement is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment or income, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
Responsibility for housing related issues rests with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Rent Supplement is not intended to cover circumstances where responsibility rests with another Government Department or Agency. The overall aim of Rent Supplement is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative or extension to other housing supports operated by the Exchequer.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.