Housing

Changes to make HAP rent scheme fairer are halted due to cost of living crisis

Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Housing, has confirmed to other TDs that he has postponed the new national rent scheme indefinitely

Darragh O’Brien has postponed plans to raise the rents for up to 60,000 people on the Housing Assistance Payment due to the cost of living crisis. The move means that there will be no change to the outdated differential rent system, which dates back to the 1930s. Picture: Julien Behal Photography/RollingNews.ie

The government has postponed plans to raise the rents for up to 60,000 people on the Housing Assistance Payment due to the cost of living crisis.

It comes after a recent review by the ESRI state think-tank found that there are “vast differences” between how much people on state supported rent have to pay in neighbouring areas.

This is because there are different income assessment rules and rent rates in the country’s 31 councils.

It ...