The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has informed Government of an increase of €5,000 to the social housing income eligibility thresholds for Cork City and Cork County. The increases will take effect from 01 January 2023.
This significant change is 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 is currently working on this revised model.
Commenting on the increases, Minister O’Brien said:
These increases will ensure that social housing supports are available to vulnerable households in Cork. It will help protect those most at risk from the recent increase in the cost of living.
These changes, the first in over a decade, build 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 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. To 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.
Notes
- From 1 January 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 (i.e. social housing or the Housing Assistance Payment)
- In line the social housing income eligibility review completed by The Housing Agency in Quarter 4 2022, Minister O’Brien increased the thresholds for five local authorities (Carlow, Clare, Laois, Westmeath, Galway County) in September 2022. The baseline income threshold for these areas increased from €25,000 to €30,000 on 1st October 2022. These five counties will also benefit from the latest increase.
- The revised thresholds will be as follows.
| Band | Counties | Current Baseline Threshold | Revised Baseline Threshold |
| 1 | Cork City, Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway City, Meath, South Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow | €35,000 | €40,000 |
| 2 | Carlow, Clare, Cork County, Galway County, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick City & County, Louth, Waterford City & County, Westmeath, Wexford | €30,000 | €35,000 |
| 3 | Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary
| €25,000 | €30,000 |
- Action 5.4 of Housing for All committed to a review of income eligibility for social housing.
- Scoping and developing options for an alternative social housing income eligibility model is a key recommendation of the Housing Agency’s review of income eligibility for social housing. Implementation of the new model will take place in 2023.
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