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Housing

A CSO Frontier Series Output- What is this?

In this Frontier Series Output, a person with a disability is defined by the self reported disability indicator in Census 2016.

A person with a disability can have more than one type of disability, and will be included in each type of disability indicated in Census 2016. See Background Notes

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This chapter looks at the engagement of people with disabilities with housing supports provided by the State. One of the main data sources used is the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH). The HAP scheme is a form of social housing support provided by all local authorities to households with a long-term housing need, including long-term Rent Supplement recipients. The other two data sources used are Rent Supplement from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and housing waiting lists from the DHLGH.

About 84% of people with a disability who are receiving Rent Supplement had 'other disability, including chronic illness'

People with a disability accounted for 32% of the 21,040 people receiving Rent Supplement in 2019. There were 6,665 people with a disability who received Rent Supplement in 2019, and 3,175 of these (84%) had 'other disability, including chronic illness' while just 525 (8%) were in the category 'Blindness or a serious vision impairment'.

Of the 50,985 people on the HAP scheme in 2019, 10,635 (21%) had a disability. ‘Other disability, including chronic illness’ was the largest category and accounted for 46% (4,875 people) of those with a disability on the HAP scheme while 'blindness or a serious vision impairment' was the smallest with 730 people.

Disability TypeNumber on HAP schemeNumber receiving rent supplement
Total persons with a disability100978126
Blindness or serious visual impairment6681052
An intellectual disability8891315
A difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating22963392
A difficulty with basic physical activities32635441
Other disability, including chronic illness45876786
A psychological or emotional condition36595158
Deafness or a serious hearing impairment 709969
Difficulty going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctors surgery19073094
Difficulty working at a job, business or attending school or college39221963
Difficulty dressing, bathing or getting around inside the home11635971
Difficulty participating in other activities, for example leisure or using transport29234507
Table 5.1 Number of People on Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme or Receiving Rent Supplement, 2019 by Disability from Census 2016

Single people accounted for 39% of those with a disability who availed of HAP in 2019

Of all those people with a disability on the HAP scheme, 39% were single while 16% were a single adult with one child. The proportions were different for all people on the HAP scheme, where 22% were single and 22% were a single adult with one child. See Table 5.2

Table 5.2 Number of People on Housing Assistance Payment Scheme, 2019 by Family Type and disability from Census 2016

Just over two in five (42%) people with a disability who were on the HAP scheme in 2019 received long term disability supports

Just over two in five people (42%) with a disability on the HAP scheme in 2019 were receiving long term disability supports compared with 15% of all people on the HAP scheme. Working age income supports were received by 35% of people with a disability on the HAP scheme compared with 51% of all people on the HAP scheme. See Table 5.3

Table 5.3 Number of People Receiving HAP, 2019 by Current DSP Scheme and Disability Type from Census 2016

The tables below relate to the housing waiting list. All statistics are compiled based on 'Net Need' housing waiting list. Net lists include households qualified for social housing support across the country but excludes those who have been provided with some social housing support are waiting for a transfer. See Background Notes

Half (50%) of people with an intellectual disability on the housing waiting list are on the list due to a disability requirement.

About one in six (18%) people with a disability on the housing list in 2019 had ‘disability requirement’ as their basis of need. This proportion varied from a high of 50% for those with intellectual disabilities to just 14% for those with another disability, including chronic illness. The basis of need is included in the housing waiting list and indicates the primary reason for a person being included on the housing list (see Background Notes).

Disability TypeCurrently Dependent on Rent SupplementUnsuitable (Particular Household Circumstances)Disability RequirementInvoluntary sharingHomeless, Institution, Emergency Accommodation or HostelExceptional Medical or Compassionate GroundsOvercrowded accommodationConcluded that mortgage is unsustainableUnfit Accommodation
State (all people with and without disability)28.737821405025328.45212804922727.1569848362757317.64705882352949.193465680169951.252655483114795.34759358288771.4650941322980.74719800747198
Total persons with a disability32.801333968556525.964745116722217.69890424011438.670795616960464.78799428299193.835159599809433.35874225821821.453072891853261.4292520247737
Blindness or a serious vision impairment33.770491803278722.622950819672121.96721311475417.213114754098364.590163934426234.262295081967213.278688524590160.6557377049180331.63934426229508
Deafness or a serious hearing impairment31.3333333333333261884.666666666666674.333333333333334.3333333333333321.33333333333333
A condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities33.472803347280324.616457461645721.47838214783825.857740585774063.626220362622044.811715481171552.580195258019531.952580195258021.60390516039052
An intellectual disability17.122302158273415.539568345323746.04316546762599.208633093525183.884892086330944.316546762589932.302158273381290.2877697841726621.29496402877698
Difficulty in learning, remembering or concentrating26.779661016949221.525423728813626.94915254237299.661016949152546.271186440677973.728813559322032.796610169491530.762711864406781.52542372881356
Psychological or emotional condition30.006609385327224.454725710508920.62128222075359.25313945803046.609385327164573.370786516853932.908129543952411.321877065432911.45406477197621
Other disability, including chronic ilness35.514018691588827.212754260582714.0186915887857.256734469488734.727872457394174.56294667399673.078614623419461.979109400769651.64925783397471
Difficulty with dressing,bathing and getting aroud the home25.114155251141619.939117199391236.37747336377474.56621004566212.891933028919335.479452054794522.283105022831051.674277016742771.67427701674277
Difficulty working at a job or attending school/college29.369067560022323.78559463986624.84645449469578.040201005025123.9642657733114.57844779452822.456728084868791.563372417643771.39586823003908
Difficulty going outside the home alone25.80019398642121.435499515033933.17167798254126.013579049466543.588748787584874.849660523763342.424830261881671.260911736178471.454898157129
Difficulty participating in other activities28.268809349890423.374726077428827.0270270270277.450693937180423.944485025566114.601899196493792.264426588750911.680058436815191.38787436084733
Table 5.4 Number of people on the housing list, 2019 by basis of need and disability type from Census 2016

Three in four people (75%) with a disability who were on the housing list in 2019 were classed as having a general need, i.e. they had no specific accommodation requirements. Just 15% of all people with a disability on the housing list were classed as having a housing need because of enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment, compared with 39% of people with an intellectual disability. The classification of need is included in the housing list data and indicates if the applicant has specific accommodation requirements.

Table 5.5 Number of People on the Housing List,2019 by Classification of Need and Disability Type in Census 2016

One third (29%) of people with a disability on the housing list are in private rented accommodation (with Rent Supplement)

Of the 12,710 people with a disability on the housing list, one third (29%) are in private rented accommodation (with Rent Supplement). One in five (20%) are living with their parents. However, this proportion is higher for people on the housing list with intellectual disabilities (35%) or a difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating (26%).

Table 5.6 Number of People on the Housing List, 2019 by Current Tenure Type and Disability Type from Census 2016

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