More Offaly people eligible for social housing but county still behind neighbours

HOUSEHOLDS in Offaly earning €30,000 will be eligible for social housing from January 1 but those in neighbouring counties Westmeath and Laois will be allowed apply on incomes of €35,000.

There was an outcry in September when Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien hiked the baseline income threshold for five local authorities, Carlow, Clare, Laois, Westmeath and Galway County.

The threshold for these areas increased from €25,000 to €30,000 on October 1 last, a move which prompted immediate questions about Offaly's omission from the list.

Lobbying for an equivalent rise in Offaly, thereby enabling many under pressure households to join the public housing waiting list, was expected to bear fruit this week.

However, though the baseline threshold for Offaly was indeed increased by €5,000 this week, those other counties benefitted from a similar jump.

On Tuesday this week the Department of Housing described the Offaly increase as a “significant change” which was being taken pending the development and roll-out of a revised income eligibility model and income thresholds in 2023. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said they were currently working on this revised model.

Commenting on the increase, Minister O’Brien said: “This increase will ensure that social housing support is available to vulnerable households in Offaly. It will help protect those most at risk from the recent increase in the cost of living.”

The Minister added: “This change, the first in over a decade, builds on the recommendations of the review into social housing income eligibility limits. My department and I are now working hard to produce a new income eligibility model, which will be completed in 2023.”

The department said the social housing income eligibility review fulfilled a commitment in Housing for All, the Government’s housing plan.

The plan contains a range of actions and measures to ensure over 300,000 new social, affordable, cost rental and private homes are built by 2030, backed by over €4 billion in annual guaranteed State investment to the end of 2026.

According to the department, by the end of September 2022, over 55,000 homes were either completed (27,773) or commenced (27,417). The plan’s overall target for housing supply in 2022 is 24,600.

From January 1 2023, an increase of €5,000 will apply to all social housing income eligibility thresholds nationwide.

An estimated 16,000 additional households will be eligible for social housing supports as a result of the change.

Social housing income eligibility thresholds are the net income thresholds below which a person is entitled to social housing supports (ie social housing or the Housing Assistance Payment).

Offaly is in the same income band as Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo and Tipperary.

Laois and Westmeath (€35,000) are banded with Carlow, Clare, Cork County, Galway County, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick City & County, Louth, Waterford City & County and Wexford.

The highest threshold, €40,000, applies in Cork City, Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway City, Meath, South Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.