Rent supplements to rise in urban areas, payments to fall for countryside

Those in receipt of rent supplements will see a change to their payments from next Monday.

The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, announced last night that those living in urban areas will see their payment increase to €75 to match a continuing trend of rising rent.

The payment will, however, fall for those living outside of urban centres as rents continue to decline in rural areas.

Minister Burton explained the reasoning behind the change in payments, saying: "Rents in the Dublin area, and in areas like north Kildare and north Wicklow around Bray, have come under a substantial pressure.

"Also in Galway city and its surrounds, but in the rest of the country, particularly in rural areas, rents are still falling."