Council members push for review of HAP rules as housing crisis bites

Westmeath County Council members have unanimously backed a call for an urgent review of income thresholds for social housing and Housing Assistance Payment supports, amid growing concern that working families, older people and those on modest incomes are being locked out of both the housing market and state supports.

The motion, proposed by Cllr Mick Dollard at the council’s first meeting of 2026, called on the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to increase the income limits for social housing eligibility and the corresponding thresholds for HAP, which councillors said are no longer reflective of the reality of rents, house prices and the cost of living.

Moving the motion, Cllr Dollard said the issue was “very timely”, noting that it has been three years since income thresholds were last reviewed. He recalled that former housing minister Darragh O’Brien had met a delegation of Westmeath councillors in the council chamber, after which thresholds were increased by a total of €10,000 over two separate changes.

“In the context now of Westmeath, we’re in Table Band 2, but certainly most councillors here are meeting people on a daily basis who are seeking social housing provision and who don’t satisfy the income criteria when their statement of liability is examined,” he said.

Cllr Dollard said the problem was national in nature and not confined to Westmeath, and urged councillors to support writing to the Minister, engaging with the county’s TDs and liaising with other local authorities. He also stressed that the issue extended beyond social housing to HAP, describing both sets of thresholds as “out of date”.

Seconding the motion, Cllr Ken Glynn said the increases secured in recent years, while welcome, “are still not touching the surface”. He pointed out that the income limit for a single person had risen from €25,000 to €35,000 but said that still left many households trapped in the private rental sector indefinitely.

“If you’re a one-income family on around €38,500, there’s no way you’re getting a mortgage, and you’re going to be in the rental market for quite some time,” he said, adding that inflation had surged while key thresholds had “stood still”.

Cllr Glynn said HAP rates were now “the longest-serving out-of-date set of rates” in the housing system, creating a widening gap between what landlords were charging and what the scheme would support. He cited examples of families facing rents of €2,000 while qualifying for HAP limits of around €650, describing the situation as “not fit for purpose”.

Supporting the motion, Cllr Andrew Duncan said local authorities had become overly reliant on small, one-off landlords to accommodate RAS and HAP tenants, many of whom were now exiting the market. He said that had resulted in a severe shortage of rental properties and rising rents, particularly outside major urban centres.

“There’s a whole socioeconomic group falling between two stools,” he said. “They can’t get a mortgage, they’re over the income threshold for social housing, and they’re propping up the economy.”

Cllr Duncan cited the cost of new housing in Mullingar, where three-bed semi-detached homes are now priced between €425,000 and €480,000, putting home ownership beyond the reach of many working households.

Cllr David Jones also backed the motion, saying some rental properties were being priced in a way that effectively excluded HAP tenants, despite the security of state-backed payments. He highlighted the difficulties facing older renters and people with disabilities, particularly those approaching retirement who are receiving notices to quit and encountering rents of €1,800 or more.

“It’s a complete joke how these people are being treated after working all their lives,” he said.

Cllr Paul Hogan said the motion spoke to the reality of the “working poor”, families and individuals living week to week who were struggling with utilities, rent and day-to-day costs. He noted that average house prices in Westmeath now stand at around €315,000, requiring dual household incomes of up to €86,000 to secure a mortgage. “There are a lot of people falling through the gaps,” he said, adding that the current model required “a complete overhaul”.

Cllr Denis Leonard described the HAP system as having moved from being a problem to being “a crisis”, warning that upcoming legislative changes could further exacerbate pressures in the rental market. He said the loss of small landlords had removed a stabilising force that had historically kept rents reasonable.

“It has to pay to work,” he said. “People are doing everything right and still can’t afford a home or qualify for support.” Cllr Vinny McCormack said the €10,000 increase in thresholds introduced in 2022 and 2023 had been overtaken by rising rents and living costs. He suggested the creation of a new support category for households over the social housing threshold but unable to afford market rents, tied to a comprehensive review of HAP.

He cited a case where a tenant sourcing a property through HAP was only €30 a week better off after supports were applied. “That just shows how insufficient the system is,” he said.

Cllr Frankie Keena said that while thresholds needed to be increased, more cost-rental homes were also urgently required. He noted that more than 430 applications had been received for just seven cost-rental properties recently advertised in Athlone.

Cllrs Julie McCourt and Aoife Davitt also supported the motion, Cllr Davitt describing the situation as a “perfect storm” of supply shortages, rising costs and growing demand.

In a written response to councillors, officials outlined that eligibility for social housing is governed by Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which requires local authorities to carry out a social housing assessment to determine both eligibility and housing need.

Applications are assessed on the basis of a household’s net income, with certain forms of income disregarded in line with regulations set by the minister. Once a household qualifies for social housing support, it is also eligible to apply for HAP, provided a suitable property can be sourced.

The council response noted that the assessment process is governed by a series of Social Housing Assessment regulations introduced between 2011 and 2021. It also highlighted that Westmeath was among five local authorities moved from Band 3 to Band 2 of the income eligibility framework in October 2022, with revised income limits coming into effect from January 2023.

Chief executive Barry Kehoe confirmed that the council would write to the minister seeking a review of both income thresholds and HAP supports, with copies to Westmeath TDs and other local authorities.

Director of housing Jackie Finney said there are currently 18 affordable and 37 cost-rental homes on site in the county, with 45 affordable and 75 cost-rental units delivered to date. She added that council support has been given to a further 44-unit scheme in Athlone, subject to Department approval.