Housing Assistance Payment Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 November 2017

Thursday, 9 November 2017

Ceisteanna (280, 281)

John Lahart

Ceist:

280. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the average HAP payment issued by local authorities in 2017. [47389/17]

John Lahart

Ceist:

281. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the amount spent on the HAP payment in 2016; and the estimated cost for HAP in 2017 and 2018. [47390/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together.

There are currently over 29,000 households being supported by the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme across the State. On average, 350 households are being set up on HAP each week in 2017.

The HAP scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. The exchequer outturn for the HAP scheme in 2016 was in excess of €57 million. The majority of this funding supported the ongoing costs of tenancies established in 2015 that continued into 2016, and the costs of the 12,075 new households supported by the scheme in 2016.

Budget 2017 increased the Exchequer funding for the HAP scheme to €152.7 million, in order to meet the continuing costs of existing HAP households, and the costs of the additional 15,000 households, targeted under Rebuilding Ireland, to be supported by HAP in 2017.  I expect this allocation to be be expended in full.

The 2017 average monthly rent paid to landlords under the HAP scheme (up to the end of Q2) was €688. However, it should be borne in mind that the roll-out of the HAP scheme was not fully implemented until 1 March 2017 with the introduction of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire - Rathdown County Council.

Budget 2018 has increased the Exchequer funding for the HAP scheme by €149m to €301 million. This will allow for the continued support of existing HAP households and also enable the additional 17,000 households targeted under Rebuilding Ireland to be supported by HAP in 2018, as well as supporting the roll-out of the HAP Place Finder Support Service across the country.