There has been a fall in the number and proportion of 'Single' family types coming into HAP in 2022, with this 20.9% of all HAP entrants in 2022. This follows on from a pattern of relative decrease from 2014 to 2018, with a small relative increase in later years before 2022. There has been a relative increase in 'Other Family Structures', jumping from 6.6% in 2021 to 12.6% in 2022. This makes 'Other Family Structures' the third most common family type for entrants to HAP in 2022 with 830 new households. The most common family type entering in 2022 was 'Single 1 Child' (1,710, 25.9%) with the fewest of 'couple' family type (310 - 4.7%). Couple is the least common family type for entrants for all years while 'Single 1 Child' is most common for each year since 2018 with 'Single' most common for earlier years. See Figure 1.1 and Table 1.1.
Map 1.1 shows the numbers of households starting HAP in 2022 by local authority for all family types. The local authority with the most households starting in HAP in 2022 was Dublin City (950), followed by Fingal (590), Cork County (480) and South Dublin (420). The fewest households entering HAP in 2022 were in Leitrim (40), Longford (50) and Offaly (60). Data is available by local authority for earlier years and different family types in PXStat table HAP01.
The HAP dataset has been linked to data detailing persons and households on local authorities housing waiting lists to identify particular characteristics of HAP tenants prior to first entering the HAP scheme. See Background Notes and Methodology for more information on the Summary of Social Housing Assessments gross and net lists for 2016 to 2022 used here.
The waiting time from first application to a local authority housing waiting list to entering HAP was less than one year for 53.9% of those who started HAP in 2022, with 8.2% having been on the waiting list for less than 3 months. Over one in ten - 11.3% - of entrants to HAP in 2022 were on the waiting list for over seven years. In the early years of HAP there were higher proportions on the waiting list for less than three months - with the highest being 19.5% in 2015. However, the proportion under a year has been growing to the 53.9% in 2022. See Figure 1.2.
Map 1.2 shows median time, in days, tenants are on the waiting list prior to entering HAP - for all years - by local authority. This is highest in the four Dublin local authorities with the top value in Fingal (1,189 days - over three years) with less than half a year median time on the waiting list in Monaghan (140 days), Roscommon (145 days), Mayo (161 days) and Waterford (182 days). Nationally the median number of days across all years is 412, just over a year and a quarter.
For all years from 2016, the most common basis of need for HAP tenants for being on the waiting list was detailed as 'Unsuitable Particular Household Circumstance', with percentages ranging from 40% to 46% over these years. There has been a pattern of less HAP tenants being on the waiting list with a basis of need of 'Currently Dependent on Rent Supplement' with this dropping from 51.0% in 2015 to 22.6% in 2021, with a rise then to 29.5% in 2022. See Figure 1.3.
A combined 61.5% of HAP tenants starting in 2022 - who could be linked to net housing waiting lists - were identified as being in ‘Private Rental Accommodation’ from these lists (18.0% with rent supplement and 43.5% without rent supplement). These have been the highest two categories every year since 2016. 'Living with Parents' is then the third highest category of tenue type for all years, with this at 15.5% in 2022. See Figure 1.4.
Around a quarter (24.0%) of new HAP households in 2022 were referred from homeless services. This is down from 32.0% in 2021 with an increase seen every year to this from 5.9% in 2015. see Figure 1.5.
There is wide variation in new HAP households being referred from homeless services across local authorities. This stood at 48.9% in South Dublin in 2022 and 42.2% in Dublin City. Outside of Dublin this was highest in Waterford (32.1%) and lowest in Donegal (6.3%). See Map 1.3. Data for other years is available in PxStat table HAP08.
For households starting HAP in 2022, 65.3% had one or more of the main or joint tenant in any employment - PAYE or self-employed - in this year. This is up from 62.1% for those starting in 2021 and follows a pattern of increase - with small drop in 2020 - from 36.5% in 2015. See Figure 1.6. See Background Notes and Methodology for definitions of employment.
The local authority with the highest proportion of HAP households with one of more tenants in employment entering HAP in 2022 was 82.3% in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown with this next highest in Kilkenny (76.2%) and Cork City (76.0%). This was lowest in Leitrim (40.9%), Offaly (42.1%), and Roscommon (44.3%). See Map 1.5. This data is available for all years and other statistics in PxStat Table HAP17.
The median inflation adjusted earned income for households entering HAP and in employment (combined gross income of main and joint tenant) increased from €10,318 in 2015 to €17,413 in 2022. The figure for 2022 is slightly down from €17,688 in 2021. Earned income figures for 2020 and 2021 include the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). Notwithstanding this, there is a small drop seen in median earned income between 2019 and 2020 which is more pronounced in the 75th percentile, however there is a small increase seen between these years for the 25th percentile. See Figure 1.7. See Background Notes and Methodology for definitions of earned income.
Map 1.6 shows that the median earned income of households entering HAP in 2022 was highest in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown (€24,753) followed by Fingal (€23,314) and South Dublin (€22,520). Outside Dublin this was highest in Louth (€21,029). This was lowest in Leitrim (€5,888), Westmeath (€8,546) and Longford (€9,602). Data for all years and further statistics is available in the PxStat table HAP17.
For households starting in HAP in 2022, where one or more of the main or joint tenant is in employment, over half had a gross household earned income of less than €20,000. This is made up of 14.1% with less than €5,000, 14.1% with €5,000 or more but less than €10,000, 15.5% with €10,000 or more but less than €15,000, and 12.0% with €15,000 or more but less than €20,000. The proportion in each €5,000 income band decreases up to €50,000 with only 1.5% having a gross household earned income of €50,000 or more in 2022 having started this year. There is a broadly similar pattern of decreasing proportion in higher income bands for preceding years of entry into HAP - where income is inflation adjusted and PUP is included for 2020 and 2021. However, there is a clear drop in the percentage in the 'Up to €4,999' band each year from 27.5% in 2015 to 12.1% in 2021. There is a similar pattern also for the '€5,000-€9,999' and for later years the proportions in the higher income bands are greater. See Figure 1.8.
For all years the most common NACE sector of tenants in the year they enter HAP is the 'Wholesale and Retail Trade' sector, with this the main sector of employment of 18.8% of HAP tenants in employment and entering HAP in 2022. The other NACE sectors with consistently over 10% of HAP entrants are 'Accommodation & Food Services Activities', 'Administrative and Support Services Activities' and 'Human Health and Social Work Activities'. See Figure 1.9.
For households which first entered HAP in 2022, 58.2% were in receipt of some form of Working-Age Income Support in the year (above a threshold of €500). This is down from 72.5% in 2020. This category includes unemployment benefit and allowance (and PUP from 2020). For full details of categories see Background Notes and Methodology. Close to nine in ten (89.6%) households entering HAP in 2022 were on some form of social welfare scheme in this year. The proportion of households on rent supplement in the year they enter HAP has been falling from over a third in 2015 and 2016 to around a tenth over the last few years. See Figure 1.10.
Map 1.6 shows for each of the different categories the percentage of HAP entrants in 2022 who are on these benefits in this year by local authority. This shows that 100% of households in Offaly and Leitrim were on some social welfare scheme in the year and this was lowest for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown at 79.4%. The percentage with Working-Age Income Supports ranged from 46.1% in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown to 73.0% in Laois. Data for other years is available in PxStat table HAP22.
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