Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 October 2019
216. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of rent support in lieu of local authority housing in each of the past eight years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43844/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraRent supplement plays a vital role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting approximately 18,300 recipients for which the Government has provided €132.4 million for 2019.
The strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose: that of a short-term income support has been primarily facilitated by the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) in 2014. HAP has been fully rolled out nationally, available in all local authorities, since March 2017. It is expected that the vast majority of those who have long term housing needs and were receiving rent supplement support will have transferred to HAP by the end of December 2020.
The attached tabular statement shows the year on year reduction, from 2011 to date, for both rent supplement customer numbers and its associated outturn. During the eight year period requested, alongside the improving macro-economic environment, the rental accommodation scheme (RAS) has continued its operations, transferring those customers with long term social housing needs to its local authority sponsored solution. The improving economy, RAS and HAP have been the main drivers for Rent Supplement's declining customer base over the past eight years, with HAP being the main driver since its introduction in 2014.
Rent supplement’s role, post the HAP migration programme, will be to provide support to those who have become temporarily unemployed and require support paying their rent whilst seeking alternative employment.
Matters in relation to housing, and in particular for the opportunity costs or benefits in directing rent supplement expenditure to the building of local authority houses, and / or the allocation of capital spend for the provision of social housing versus rent supplement outturn, are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement:
Rent Supplement: Recipient Numbers & Expenditure 2011 - 2019
|
Year |
Recipients |
Cost |
|
2011 |
96,803 |
€502.8m |
|
2012 |
87,684 |
€422.6m |
|
2013 |
79,788 |
€373.0m |
|
2014 |
71,533 |
€338.2m |
|
2015 |
61,247 |
€311.0m |
|
2016 |
48,041 |
€275.3m |
|
2017 |
34,378 |
€230.6m |
|
2018 |
24,303 |
€175.0m |
|
2019 (to end of September) |
18,265* |
€132.4m** |
* Recipient numbers as at end September 2019
** Estimated Outturn to December 2019
