Assistance With Mortgage and Rent Costs

Mortgage Interest Relief
Tax relief is available on the interest portion of loans borrowed to purchase, repair or improve your sole or main residence. The tax relief is subject to upper limits, which will depend on your personal situation and whether you are a first time buyer.

Click here for more information.

Tax Relief On Rent Payments
If you live in private rented accommodation and you pay income tax, you may be able to claim tax relief on part of your rent payments.
Click here for more information.

Mortgage Interest Supplement
If you are getting a social welfare or Health Service Executive (HSE) payment, you may qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement from your Local Health Office. This will help you pay part of your mortgage.
Click here for more information.

Rent Supplement
Rent Supplement is paid to people living in private residential accommodation who cannot provide for the cost of their accommodation from their own resources. In general, if your only income is a social welfare or Health Services Executive (HSE) payment, you will qualify for a rent supplement from your Local Health Office.
Click here for more information.

Rental Accommodation Scheme
If you are getting Rent Supplement for more than 18 months and you are in need long-term housing, you may be eligible for the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). The scheme is run by local authorities.
Click here for more information.

Social & Affordable Housing
The Government, through the local authorities, operates a number of schemes that can enable you to get a permanent home, if you are unable to afford one on your own. For example, you could rent a Council home or buy a home at a reduced cost.

Applying For A Council Home
If you are in need of housing and cannot provide housing from your own resources, you may apply to the Housing Department to rent a Council house.

The Housing Department will assess your application in line with a number of factors. If you qualify, they will then determine how urgent your housing need is and place your name on their housing list in line with the level of urgency that applies to your case.

As Council houses/flats become available for letting they are offered to applicants on the housing list in order of priority.

Buying Your Own Home Through The Affordable Housing Scheme
Under the Affordable Housing Scheme, properties are offered for sale at prices significantly less than their actual market value. ‘Affordable homes’ are generally only available to first-time buyers, although exceptions may apply for people who are separated or divorced.

Click here for general information on the Affordable Housing Scheme.

The Shared Ownership Scheme
This scheme allows a home purchaser to buy a proportion of a home to begin with, increasing the proportion in steps until the whole house is owned. While you are buying a proportion, you share ownership with the local authority.

Click here for more information

Other Housing Issues

For information on:

• Inheriting a local authority tenancy;
• Getting a transfer to another local authority home;
• Housing associations;
• Buying your local authority house;
• Joint tenancy and relationship breakdown;
• Rent arrears and local authority tenants; and
• Anti-social behaviour and local authority tenants.

Click here for the Citizens Information website