Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2611. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of recipients of the rental accommodation scheme and the housing assistance payment in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; the expenditure on each payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33495/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is funded through a combination of Exchequer monies and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. Budget 2018 has increased the Exchequer funding for the HAP scheme by €149 million 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.
In relation to the Deputy's query regarding the amount spent on, and the number of households in receipt of, the Housing Assistance Payment on an annual basis, the relevant details are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Additional Households supported at end of year |
Expenditure €M |
|
2016 |
12,075 |
57.69 |
|
2017 |
17,916 |
152.69 |
|
2018 (to 16 July) |
9,877 |
141.13 |
At the end of Q2 2018 there were 37,751 active HAP tenancies in recipt of payment and over 21,000 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme.
I am satisfied with how the HAP scheme is currently operating and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme under Rebuilding Ireland. My Department will, of course, continue to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review.
The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) was established in 2004 and placed responsibility on local authorities to meet the accommodation needs of people in receipt of Rent Supplement for 18 months or longer, and who are assessed as having a long-term housing need. RAS has provided a more structured, accommodation-based approach to the use of the private rented sector to meet long-term housing need, thereby eliminating dependence on temporary income support payments, i.e. rent supplement.
The following table sets out the data available in relation to funding provided by my Department to local authorities under the Rental Accommodation Scheme in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018. Funding provided by the Department includes the continuing cost of contractual agreements made by local authorities with landlords under the Scheme and the additional cost of new tenancies that are secured during that year.
|
Year |
RAS Tenancies at 31/12 |
RAS Expenditure |
|
2016 |
20,306 |
€130,998,165* |
|
2017 |
19,755 |
€142,837,782** |
|
2018 (to end May) |
19,388 |
€ 42,736,817 |
* An additional €13.9m in RAS recoupment claims was offset against local authority RAS Reserves in 2016
** An additional € 1.38m in RAS recoupment claims was offset against local authority RAS reserves in 2017
The 2018 budgetary provision is €134 million and will support those RAS contracts in place at the end of 2017 that continue on into 2018, and the cost of a further 600 tenancies to transfer from rent supplement in 2018 in line with the Rebuilding Ireland targets. From 2018 onwards, annual RAS targets are reducing to take account of the increasing focus on rent supplement transfer to HAP.
