Those in most need of assistance are left wanting after budget changes say charities that look after the homeless.
A statement from Focus Ireland said that they are concerned about the review of Rent Supplement caps in 2012. “The maximum rents allowed for single people are already very low, which make it very hard for people leaving homelessness to secure decent accommodation. It’s crucial that the review doesn’t implement cuts to the maximum allowable rents for single people leaving homelessness,” says Focus Ireland.
Threshold, the national housing charity, has also expressed disappointment with the changes announced to the Rent Supplement in the Budget Estimates. “The changes will result in increased hardship for those who are dependent on Rent Supplement,” said a statement from Threshold.
Bob Jordan, Director of Threshold, said: “We’re disappointed that, for the Rent Supplement scheme, the Department of Social Protection is imposing a 25 per cent increase on the contribution single tenants make towards their rent, rising from the existing weekly contribution of 24 euro to 30 euro per week.
“For people who are dependent on social welfare, this is a huge increase and one they can ill afford. It will impact directly on their capacity to purchase essential goods and services, such as heating, clothing and food.”
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) welcomes the fact that basic social welfare rates are being maintained, however they believe that many families who seek the support of SVP will be further disadvantaged by many elements of the budget.
“The cumulative changes in areas of Rent Supplement, the winter Fuel Allowance, Drugs Payment Scheme, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, the One Parent Family Payment and changes in the cost of school transport and student maintenance grants, will have a huge impact on their ability to maintain a reasonable standard of living,” say SVP.
According to SVP, the groups which will be most adversely affected by the cuts are families with school-going children, one parent families, families on social welfare or in work on low pay in private rented accommodation and households already struggling to pay energy bills.
“Calls for help to the Society of St Vincent de Paul have increased substantially in the past year and we anticipate an even further jump in those calls as the full impact of Budget 2012 takes effect in the New Year,” say SVP.
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Labour Party Deputy John Lyons has stated that even accounting for the current financial challenges facing the country, Labour has ensured that fairness and balance are evident in the Budget statement on expenditure.
Deputy Lyons stated: “In Social Protection, weekly payment rates have been maintained, there are no changes in state pension rates and payments to carers have been preserved. These people are the most vulnerable in our society and we have protected their payments.
