Budget may 'put women in danger'
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Focus Ireland says changes to the rent supplement announced in the emergency budget may make it harder for women to leave abusive relationships.
Women may get trapped in abusive relationships due to new changes in the supplementary Budget, it was claimed yesterday.
Last week Finance Minister Brian Lenihan announced several restrictions to the rent supplement scheme which will help save the Exchequer €50m in 2009.
The new criteria mean applicants must be living in rented accommodation for six months or on a housing waiting list before they can qualify for the payments.
But the charity Focus Ireland said the changes mean that the rent supplement will no longer be available as a “safety net” for vulnerable people such as women trying to escape abusive relationships.
Focus Ireland chief executive Joyce Loughnan said: “We are concerned that this decision to change who is eligible will act to trap people living in situations such as domestic abuse, as the changes mean they would not be able to apply for the supplement if they were suddenly forced to leave their homes.
“It will also impact on people who lose their home suddenly due to illness or a bereavement as they are now no longer eligible to apply for rent supplement.”
Changes to the rent supplement scheme will also put more vulnerable families and single people at serious risk of becoming homeless, according to the charity.
Focus Ireland called on the Government to urgently reverse the decision.
“While by no means perfect, the rent supplement system has allowed relatively speedy access to accommodation in the private rented sector for families and individuals,” she said. “It has acted as a ‘safety net’ to prevent many people becoming homeless and entering the system of emergency accommodation.”
Focus Ireland also criticised the proposed 8pc reduction in the rent supplement scheme and warned this will have a significant impact on the weekly income of some of the poorest families in society.
