Local Authority Now Able To Increase Housing Assistance Payments For Wicklow Residents

The Housing Assistance Payment is to increase by up to 35% to help tackle rising rents.

The Housing Minister says it will allow more members of the public to secure housing and prevent new entries into homelessness.

Under the Housing Assistance Payment scheme, those who qualify for social housing and secure a home in the private rental market, have most of their rent paid directly to their landlord by the local authority.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien says the discretion rate will increase from 20 to 35% - that means councils can now pay up to 35% more than the current set HAP rates.

However the rate in Dublin - that already stands at 50% - will remain the same.

Meanwhile the housing minister also plans to expand the couples HAP rate to single people.

At the end of April 10,049 people were homeless nationwide, the highest figure since 2020.