HAP supports have ‘steepened’ the cost of renting in Ireland

KPMG report finds the Housing Assistance Payment is forcing rent prices upward and luring big international developers into the market

The scheme has been repeatedly criticised by members of the opposition as “really bad value for money. Picture: Getty

A state scheme to supplement the rents of social tenants has directly “steepened” the cost of renting in Ireland, according to a new analysis by KPMG.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), established in 2014, is a form of social housing support given to social tenants that covers accommodation costs in private landlord-owned properties.

The HAP scheme is one of several government interventions that sought to address the lack of affordability in the rental market. The ...