The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible tenants 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 overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are approximately 93,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided a sum of €436 million for 2012.
New maximum rent limits came into force on 1 January 2012. The general practice is that rent supplement is not paid where the rent is above the relevant limit. However, rent supplement may be paid where the rent is above the relevant limit in the following circumstances:
Where there are special housing needs related to exceptional circumstances (in particular, for example, a person with a disability in specially-adapted accommodation or homeless persons whose housing needs cannot be met within the standard terms of the rent supplement scheme etc.);
Where the person concerned is entitled to an income disregard and has sufficient income to meet his or her basic needs after paying rent, taking into account the appropriate rate of rent supplement that is otherwise payable in the case. "Sufficient income" in this context means the relevant basic supplementary welfare allowance rate less the prescribed minimum contribution to rent; and/or
Where the tenant will be in a position to re-assume responsibility for his/her rent within a short period. For this purpose, a guideline period of no longer than 6 to 8 weeks is suggested but where there are exceptional circumstances, an extension up to a total of 12 weeks may be allowed.
The revised rent limits are applicable to new rent supplement tenancies and existing tenancies on review. Where rents are in excess of the limit, customers are being asked to contact their landlord and renegotiate the rent. Where landlords do not agree to reduce the rent within the limits, Departmental officials will discuss the options open to the tenant, including seeking alternative accommodation. Department officials dealing with rent supplement tenants will continue to ensure that their accommodation needs are met; there will no incidence of homelessness due to these changes.
