SOCIAL PROTECTION MINISTER Joan Burton has indicated plans to change the limits for the amount that somebody receiving rent supplement can pay for their accommodation.
The changes will see most limits lowered slightly, but will see some limits increased in areas like Dublin or Galway where prices have increased since the last adjustment in January 2012.
They will also split Counties Kildare and Wicklow into two areas, to reflect the varying prices between North and South Kildare, and between Bray and the rest of Wicklow.
The changes are intended to reflect the changes in rental prices around the country, and reflects recent rental price data from the Central Statistics Office and Daft.ie among others.
The Department of Social Protection said the general theme of the rules was to ensure that rent supplement applicants were able to afford around 35 per cent of all rental properties on the market.
There are around 86,000 people in receipt of rent supplement throughout the country, who receive roughly €403 million each year, on the basis that they have no other source of accommodation available to them and they would be otherwise unable to afford a rental home.
The changes are intended to come into effect for around 18 months starting June 15, and will cost the Department roughly €7 million extra this year.
A PDF of the old and new rates can be downloaded here.
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