The Housing for All Action Plan Update, published in November 2022, commits to developing proposals for a standardised national rents scheme that provides the best blend of equity, progressivity and sustainability, and protects those households on the lowest incomes. This work will have regard to the impact of the increased cost-of-living on social housing tenants, including those in receipt of social welfare allowances and those on low incomes. Proposals will be submitted for my consideration in Q3 2023 and a decision to implement a revised national scheme will be considered thereafter, as appropriate.
The making or amending of differential rent schemes are matters for individual local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department. Accordingly, rent schemes are generally based on a percentage of household income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay. Local authority rent schemes also contain hardship clauses which can be used to support households experiencing financial difficulties. In such cases, for example, local authorities may accept a lesser sum from a tenant for a specified period where payment of rent would give rise to hardship for the household.
