HAP tenants struggle to buy food after rent top-ups, say charities

John-Mark McCafferty said that tenants do not have the ‘basics’ (Oireachtas TV)

Tenants receiving rent supplement payments are struggling to pay bills and buy food because they have to pay top-ups to landlords, a committee has heard.

People in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) are having to fork out between €100 to €500 each month to landlords as State payments fall short of rental costs.