Rent supplements are set to increase across the country from Friday, following an announcement by the government as concerns grow over the inability of many people living in rented accommodation to cover the high costs of their rent.
Rent supplement limits will be raised in different areas to suit the local market, for instance the average increase in rent supports in Cork will be 21% 29% in Dublin and an average of 15% around the country.
The increase will cost the government approximately €15 million this year, with €12 million under the the rent supplement scheme and a further €3 million under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme.
The latter is presently used in 19 local authorities and is set to be rolled out across the country to replace the rent supplement system.
Making the announcement, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Simon Coveney said he is determined to tackling the housing crisis ongoing in Ireland and is confident that the new measures will help to alleviate the pressure experienced by families in the private rental sector.
“They will help households to remain in their existing homes while also providing sufficient flexibility to enable people to source accommodation in a constrained rental market,” he said. His colleague and Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar said the move would increase stability for renters and reduce the danger of families becoming homeless.
Locally, fellow Fine Gael representative, Councillor Noel McCarthy said the decision to increase rent supplements will ‘help to ease the pressure that 1,000s of householders are facing as a result of the rent hikes that have taken place over the last few years’.
