Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme

HAP is a form of social housing support provided by all local authorities. HAP means that local authorities can provide housing assistance for households who qualify for social housing support, including many long-term rent supplement recipients.

How does HAP work?

To qualify for HAP, a household must be qualified for social housing support by their local authority, which means the household must qualify to go on the local authority housing waiting list.

  • HAP tenants must find their own accommodation in the private rented market. (This is the same as the current Rent Supplement scheme.)
  • The landlord must agree to rent their property to the HAP tenant.
  • The local authority will make a monthly payment to the landlord. This payment is made on the last Wednesday of each month. The payment is subject to terms and conditions and that the HAP tenant pays their rent contribution to the local authority.
  • The HAP tenant pays their rent contribution to the local authority. Rent contributions will generally be made through An Post’s Household Budget Scheme. If the HAP tenant does not pay this rent contribution, HAP payments to their landlord will be suspended and eventually stopped. The HAP tenant is then responsible for paying the full rent themselves.

For further information, contact the HAP Section of Laois County Council at (057) 866 4000 or by email on hap@laoiscoco.ie.

Further information:

 Housing Assistance Payment Website.

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