Tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority for the Government. Establishing a zero-tolerance approach to domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence is essential for safeguarding individuals and promoting a safer society. The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments in this regard. While many of the Programme for Government commitments fall within the remit of other Departments, this is an issue that requires a whole of Government approach. For that reason, the Programme for Government included a commitment to “examine how the social protection system can better support people fleeing domestic violence.”
My department has provisions in place to support the immediate accommodation needs of persons fleeing domestic violence, through the Rent Supplement Scheme. In such circumstances the Rent Supplement means test does not apply for an initial three-month period. Access to this support is instead via a fast-track approval process to assist with immediate accommodation needs.
Building on this initiative, I announced a new Travel Supplement protocol for victims of domestic violence which came into effect on the 5th of May. This protocol ensures that those fleeing domestic violence have the necessary financial support to meet their immediate travel needs.
Mirroring the Rent Supplement scheme approach, the new Travel Supplement is available to those fleeing domestic violence without the need for a means test during the first three months. After the first three months have passed, a person may be provided with a further three-month extension; subject to the usual means assessment.
Since its introduction in August 2020, 494 customers have availed of support through the Rent Supplement protocol, with the number of claims awarded by year up to the end of June 2026 provided in Table 1 below. There are 30 claims now in payment under the Travel Supplement protocol.
This Department does not categorise Additional Needs Payments by identifying applicants that have has experienced domestic violence. On that basis, data on the numbers availing of, nor the expenditure under Additional Needs Payments, as a result of domestic violence, is not available. For information, in 2025 some 65,170 Additional Needs Payments were made by the Community Welfare Service with a provisional expenditure of €63.71million.
Table 1 – Total number of Rent Supplement claims awarded under the Domestic Violence protocol by year, from August 2020 to end of June 2026.
|
Year
|
Claims Awarded
|
|
2020
|
51
|
|
2021
|
127
|
|
2022
|
93
|
|
2023
|
66
|
|
2024
|
58
|
|
2025
|
61
|
|
2026 (to end June)
|
38
|
|
Total
|
494
|
