There was a slight increase in the number of homes available to rent under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme at the end of last year.
The latest Simon Communities of Ireland ‘Locked Out of the Market’ quarterly report showed there were 33 properties to rent in December within the standard or discretionary HAP limits, across 16 areas of the country.
The report examined the experience of people on a low income and dependent on HAP to access housing in the private rental market.
The figure was six higher than the previous quarterly report carried out in September, which represents a 22% increase in the number of homes available to HAP applicants.
The report found that overall in December, there were 1,149 properties to rent at various prices in the 16 locations surveyed over a three-day period.
The number is an increase of 28% or 248 on the 901 available in the September 2023 report.
The 33 homes open to HAP recipients accounted for 2.8% of the total.
Nine of the 16 areas surveyed had no properties to rent through HAP within the standard or discretionary rates in any of the household categories which include single person, couple, couple/one parent and one child and couple/one parent and two children.
The locations were Athlone, Cork city suburbs, Galway city centre, Kildare, Leitrim, Limerick city suburbs, Limerick city centre, Sligo town and Portlaoise.
Of the properties open for applications from people reliant on HAP, just two were available within the standard rate.
Both were located in Cork city centre.
Five areas had rental homes on the market within the discretionary rates including Dublin, Cork city centre, Dundalk, Galway city suburbs and Waterford city centre.
As recorded in previous reports, the supply of properties within HAP limits were predominantly in the capital.
25 of the 33 homes available, or 76%, were located in Dublin and were all within the discretionary rate.
In Dublin, the discretionary rate allows for an additional 50% on the standard rate compared to 35% for the rest of the country.
“The ‘Locked Out’ reports continue to show the dearth of options for those experiencing homelessness in the private rental market,” said Executive Director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, Wayne Stanley.
He said: “While there was a small increase in availability in December 2023, it is clear the private rental market is not a sustainable option for the vast majority of people experiencing homelessness.”
Mr Stanley added that “the solution is well understood; it is more social housing” and that the “scale of the homeless crisis in front of us requires immediate action from Government”.
“In the short term, the minister could increase the HAP rates to ensure that more properties become a viable option on a HAP payment. Government can work with local authorities to see a more targeted use of the allocations from local authorities,” he said.
The charity said single person households received an increased HAP rate to match that available to couples in June 2022.
However, the latest report found there were no properties within the standard HAP limit for single people.
Ten properties were available for single people/couples based on discretionary HAP rate.
For couples/one parent families with one child, there were two properties available within the standard limit and 16 properties were available within the discretionary rates.
