Families forced to dig deep for rents despite allowance

The situation is reportedly particularly acute in the greater Cork area where rents have increased dramatically in recent months. As a result, some families are being forced to relocate to Mid-Cork and West Cork as they cannot afford to rent properties near the city.
Under the housing assistance payment scheme (HAP), a family with three children receives €750 monthly towards their rent. The local authority pays it directly to the landlord. The tenant, in turn, pays a differential rent to the local authority based on a household’s weekly income.