Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
The baseline income thresholds increased by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds thus increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for Bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively. These thresholds are net income thresholds, i.e. gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Additional Superannuation Contribution. Income is defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities also have discretion to disregard income that is once-off, temporary or short-term in nature and which is outside the regular pattern of a person’s annual income.
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA), the most recently published of which was conducted in November 2024. Data on the number of households who have been removed from housing lists nationally indicates 19,055 applications were closed between the SSHA 2023 and 2024 count dates. The main reason why applications were closed, over a third of the total, was because households secured local authority housing, AHB housing, HAP or RAS. Other reasons for removal were, change in household circumstances, no longer qualifying and failure to engage with the local authority. The number of removals due to no longer meeting the income criteria for social housing support was 6%.
My Department has been examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and household income conditions, including the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced. This includes examining the findings of research commissioned by my Department and this work is ongoing.
I am not in a position at this point to indicate the outcome of these considerations but I envisage that the analysis will be concluded early in 2026 to facilitate a final determination on next steps.
