Applying for local authority/social housing (2023)

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introduce

Local authorities are the main providers of social housing for those who cannot afford to buy a home or rent it privately. Local authority housing is allocated on the basis of eligibility and need. Rent depends on the family's ability to pay.

Approved Housing Body (AHB)Social housing is also provided for those who cannot afford to purchase their own housing. These organizations are sometimes called housing associations or housing cooperatives.

Social Housing Assessment OrdinanceSets out how housing authorities should manage applications for social housing. They include many important elements such as:

• You can only apply to one housing authority
• Generally, you must already live in an area covered by the housing authority or havelocal connectionwith the district – although housing authorities may agree to waive this requirement
• You will only be considered for social housing if your household income is below the applicable threshold in the Housing Authority's area
• If your current mortgage is not sustainable, this will be taken into account when assessing your family's social housing needs - see 'Needs' below.

How do I qualify for social housing support?

To be eligible, you must bequalifiedFor social housing you mustneedPublic housing.

• The Housing Authority will first assess your eligibility
• It will assess your need for social housing if you are eligible

If you are a foreign national, you must have the legal right to remain in the state permanently. Detailed rules for accessing social housing support for non-Irish nationals are set out atRound houses 41/2012.

pass

To be considered eligible for social housing, you must meet income criteria.

You must also demonstrate that you do not have suitable alternative accommodation.

income standard

thisFamily Means PolicyDetails how the local authority assesses your household income for social housing support. It includes information on which income is taken into account and which is ignored (not taken into account). For example, these assessments do not take into account certain social welfare payments.

There are 3 maximum income limits that apply to different housing authorities. January 1, 2023,Basic income limit increased by €5,000Suitable for all local authority areas.

Basic maximum income limit per region

These are the maximum net income limits for a person. These limits increase if there are other members of your household. you get an extra:

• 5% of the basic maximum income limit for each adult household member. Up to 10% or 2 additional adults.
• 2.5% of the basic maximum income limit for each child in the family

When the local authority assesses whether your household meets the income criteria, it will look at your household's average net income in the 12 months before receiving your application. Net income is the amount you are left with after deducting income tax, universal social tax, additional superannuation contributions (ASC) and PRSI from your income.

The department is also providing guidance notes to local authorities with more details on assessing income for social housing support. Savings, for example, are only relevant to the income assessment if they generate income for the applicant through dividends or interest. If you are looking for information about any of your income and it is not covered by the household income policy, you should contact your local authority.

proof of income

When applying for social housing, you will need to provide proof of income with your application. The documents you need vary depending on whether you are employed, self-employed or receiving social security payments.

If you are receiving social security payments, you will need a statement from the Department of Social Protection detailing all social benefits you have paid in the past 12 months.

if you are self employed, you will need to provide at least 2 years of accounts and audit reports, and the previous 12 months' notice of assessment and/or confirmation of self-assessment.

if you have a job, you will need to provide proof of your income for the past 12 months. You can use the following documents to demonstrate your household income for the last year and your household's current income:

• Proof of last year's income:Last year's Statement of Responsibility (formerly P21) and Summary of Employment Details (formerly P60). These are all available from Revenue. you can use itEarnings Online Services My AccountAccess these documents. Please refer to our webpage to learn how to obtain yourResponsibility statementandSummary of Employment Detailsto know more information.
• Proof of current income:Pay stub or salary and tax summary for the current tax year as of the date you apply. Salary and tax summaries are available from the Tax Office.

notes: If you payAdditional Superannuation Contribution (ASC), you must also provide your last pay stub for the previous year and your most recent pay stub. ASCs are only available to people on public service pension schemes.

If you are not registered with Revenue's myAccount, or if you have difficulty obtaining any of these documents online, you can contact your local tax office for assistance or obtain a paper copy. You can also contact yourlocal citizen information centerIf you need help obtaining these documents or completing the application form.

alternative accommodation

You are considered to have an alternative dwelling if you or a member of your household own property that you can reasonably expect to use for your housing needs. The property is considered alternative accommodation if you can live in it or sell it and use the money to pay for suitable accommodation. Alternative property includes property that you own abroad, or that you rent out. Under residential tenancy legislation, you canterminate the leaseIf your family needs this property to live in.

A property will not be considered an alternative accommodation if it:

• Occupied by a person who is divorced or separated* from a family member, or whose civil partnership has been dissolved
• It will be crowded if a family lives in it
• unfit for human habitation
• Inability to adequately accommodate accommodation requests for disabled family members

* A couple is not necessarilyjudicial separationFor this apply. A deed of separation is enough - see our documentsseverance agreement.

need

When deciding whether your family needs social housing, the Housing Authority must consider:

• Is your current residence an institutional, emergency or guest house?
• are you homelessSection 2 of the Housing Act 1988？
• Is your current accommodation crowded?
• Is it suitable for human habitation?
• Does it meet accommodation requirements for disabled family members?
• Is it inappropriate housing for your family on exceptional medical or compassionate grounds?
• If sharing with other households, do you have a reasonable request for separate accommodation?
• Is your home's current mortgage classified as unsustainableMortgage Arrears Resolution Program (MARP)Central bank regulations?
• Is your family dependent onrent subsidymeet their housing needs?
• Given the particular family circumstances, is your current accommodation unsuitable because it does not provide adequate accommodation for your family in any other way?

field of choice

You can specify up to 3 areas where you would like to live. At least one of these must be in an area administered by the Housing Authority you are applying for (itsFunctional Area) and others must be within the functional area or the same county. If you do not live within or have no connection to the Housing Authority's own remit, but the department has agreed to accept your application, you can only select areas within the remit of that particular department.

How do I apply?

To apply for local authority housing, download the application form fromyour local governmentwebsite, or contact your local government housing department and request an application form. oneEasy-to-read guide (pdf)You can also fill out the application form.

You will need to provide additional documents with your application form. For example, you'll need to include photo identification, proof of address, and proof of income. There is information on proof of income above. The application form has a checklist with details of all other documents you will need.

If you need help completing the application form, or are unsure how to answer questions or where to obtain supporting documents, you can contactyour local citizen information centeror local government for help.

If you want to be considered for accommodationhousing associationor other approved housing agency, please check the box labeled “Approved Housing Agency (AHB)” on the application form. Some housing associations may accept direct applications.

If you are a wheelchair user or require accessible accommodation, you should check the box marked 'Wheelchair accessible accommodation' in the section of the form that asks about your housing requirements. There is also a supporting disability/medical form for people applying for social housing with medical or disability needs.

You no longer need to get a HPL1 form stamped by Revenue when completing your social housing application, as local authorities now check this information directly with Revenue on your behalf.

What happens next with my social housing application?

Local authorities have 12 weeks after receiving your completed application to assess it and decide whether you are eligible for social housing. This time frame can be extended if local authorities require additional information, which they will ask you to provide. You must submit additional information within the allotted time, or your application may be rejected.

if your application is accepted

If you are accepted by a housing authority as eligible and in need of housing, you will be placed on its housing list orEligible Resident Records.It will also notify you of any other Housing Authority that designates an elective area within its functional area.

If you rent private accommodation while you are on the housing list, you may be eligible forBack rent.if you getHousing Assistance (HAP), which is legally defined as a form of social housing support, you will no longer be on the housing list. However, if you apply to transfer from HAP to another form of social housingWithin 2 weeks of receiving a letter confirming your HAP payment, any time you spend on housing listings can be taken into account when your local authority considers your application.

Read more about social housing waiting lists and the allocation process.

If your application is not accepted

If your application is not accepted, the local authority should explain to you the reasons for its decision. If not, you can apply to see your documentsfreedom of information.

If you want to challenge a local authority's decision, you can appeal to them. Each local authority has its own internal appeals process to deal with appeals.

If you are not satisfied with the results of the internal review, you can complain to the Ombudsman. thisOffice of the OmbudsmanInvestigate complaints against local authorities and other public bodies. You must lodge a complaint within 12 months of the local authority's decision. The Ombudsman will investigate your complaint and make decisions and recommendations on the matter. They can ask local authorities to review their decisions, change their decisions or provide explanations or compensation.

You can also appeal the local authority's decision in court. Generally, this is done by applying to the High CourtJudicial review of local authority decisions.

if you let local authorities go home

Local authority rents are based on a system known as differential rents. This means that rent is set based on your ability to pay, so if your income is low, your rent will be low; if your income increases, your rent will increase. The income of any other adult members of your household will be included in the rent calculation, and the income of any children in your household may be deducted. Each local authority has its own rental scheme. touchyour local authorityDetails about their differential rent program.

Your local authority may have minimum and/or maximum rents, which may depend on the size of your home. There is also a hardship clause that allows local authorities to reduce rents at their discretion if there are exceptional reasons.

If your income or that of anyone in your household changes, you must notify the local authority so it can recalculate your rent.

Local authority housing is unfurnished. If you are granted local authority accommodation but you do not have and cannot afford to buy furniture or appliances, you may be eligible forHelp under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.