Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD has today welcomed the rent limit increases for those in receipt of Rent Supplement and Housing Assistance Payment.

Following a two year freeze, the announced increase means people who cannot afford the full cost of private rented accommodation will see an average increase of 27% to the maximum available payments from this Friday, July 1^st.

In the greater Dun Laoghaire area the increases across the seven categories are as follows:

In addition anyone with an informal top-up arrangement with their landlord is advised to contact their community welfare service, as the Department of Social Protection will regularise these top ups in most cases.

Speaking this morning, Minister Mitchell O’Connor said: “This is good news for the people across the Dun Laoghaire Constituency who rely on housing benefits.

The programme for Government committed to increasing the rent subsidies in line with varying rents across the country. It has been a priority of the Government to bring this forward and as of this Friday, rent limits across the country will rise to a point that will give individuals and families access to housing that is so desperately needed but was previously beyond their reach.

In Dun Laoghaire, increases of between €80 and €300 will mean that those who qualify for subsidies will have greater access to the rental market and that those already in subsidised rented accommodation will have some security knowing that a rent increase will not automatically price them out of their homes”.