Rent Supplement is a payment for some people living in private rented housing who cannot provide for the cost of their housing from their own income.
The amount of Rent Supplement that is calculated will generally ensure that your income, after paying rent, does not fall below a minimum level. This level is the basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your circumstances minus the appropriate rate of Household Contribution. However, you may pay more depending on your means
To qualify for Rent Supplement, the officer dealing with your case must be satisfied that, at the time of application, that you are in a lawful tenancy and:
- had received a Rent Supplement payment within 12 months of the date of application
- were living in private rented housing for a period of 183 days within the previous 12 months of the date of claim for Rent Supplement. This includes where you could afford the rent at the start of the lease, but now cannot as there has been a change in your situation.
You will not qualify for Rent Supplement if you are engaged in full-time work, defined as more than 29 hours a week and did not pass the standard income check.
It is also available for people who have been living in housing for homeless persons or an institution for 183 days or more during the 12 months before the application, and who do not qualify for social housing support.
If you are from Ukraine and you are covered by the Temporary Protection Directive, you do not have to meet the conditions above or register with your local housing authority to have your housing needs assessed. Since February 2022, Rent Supplement is available on a flexible basis to support those availing of temporary protection in Ireland and who wish to access private rented accommodation.
People in full-time education are generally excluded from receipt of Rent Supplement. For those people participating in approved courses under the Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA**) they may retain their Rent Supplement support assuming they still meet the other conditions of the scheme.
Further details and assistance are available from Community Welfare Services at your local Intreo Centre.
