Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2024
229. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if child maintenance will be disregarded from the housing assistance payment and differential rent scheme assessment operated by local authorities, following the announcement from Government that child maintenance will be excluded from all social welfare means tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27658/24]
View answer241. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether child maintenance will be disregarded from the housing assistance payment and differential rent scheme assessment operated by local authorities, following the announcement that child maintenance will be excluded from all social welfare means tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27072/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 241 together.
Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Tenants in the HAP scheme are required to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay.
Local discretion and flexibility are inherent in the devolved administration of rent schemes and different approaches are taken to rent setting across local authorities. Accordingly, decisions regarding the sources of income included and disregarded for rent assessment purposes, including child maintenance, are matters for individual local authorities.
