Thomas Gould
Question:219. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average time to assess a social housing application, by local authority, in tabular form. [17185/24]
View answerThursday, 18 April 2024
Questions (219)
Written answers
My Department does not hold information on the average time it takes to assess a social housing application.
Applications 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.
Regulation 12 of the 2011 Regulations prescribes the timescales for the processing of applications by local authorities and provides that, subject to conditions, a local authority shall deal with an application within a period of 12 weeks. Local authorities will prioritise housing needs assessments for those in greatest need and seek to process their applications well within the prescribed maximum timeframes.
If the local authority requires additional information from the applicant, it should request that information as early into the assessment process as possible. In accordance with Regulations, the applicant has four weeks from the time of the request to provide the requested information/documentation to the local authority.
Should the applicant fail to do so, then the application should be returned to the applicant with a covering letter stating that an assessment could not be carried out by the local authority.
Where it is not possible for the applicant to provide any information/documentation requested by the local authority within the four week period (e.g. where documentation is being sought from a third party that has been delayed), a local authority may, if it feels it appropriate, grant an extension to the applicant to provide the requested information/documentation. Local authorities then have six weeks after receipt of additional information requested to process the application. In any event, the processing of a valid application by a local authority shall not exceed 14 weeks after the initial 12 weeks from the date of application has expired.