Rising rents ‘hurting’ tenants on welfare

TENANTS on social welfare are increasingly being forced to spend their benefits on topping up their rent because of rocketing costs of renting a home.

Last night, housing campaigners Threshold said tenants on unemployment assistance, pensions or lone parent allowances were left in financial trouble as rental allowances did not cover all the rent.

Threshold chairwoman Aideen Hayden said tenants were faced with the greatest difficulties in urban areas where rents were rising fast as a result of growing demand.