Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 291

Regulations in relation to unpaid rent

Section 291 allows the Minister to make regulations for withholding a portion of a beneficiary's social welfare payment to cover unpaid rent owed to a housing authority.

• Where a social welfare beneficiary has rent arrears owed to a housing authority — either unpaid for a specified period or exceeding a specified amount — the Minister may make regulations allowing part of the beneficiary's benefit to be withheld and paid directly to the housing authority.
• The regulations are made after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
• The housing authority must apply to the Minister for the withholding to take effect, but the beneficiary's consent is not required.
• The amount withheld in any week cannot exceed the weekly rent payable by the beneficiary.