Sir, – I know a young woman with mental health problems who has been struggling severely since the beginning of this year when the cut in rent allowance was made. She was in transition at the time so was affected immediately. She has been living in very poor quality accommodation, which has certainly impacted negatively on her mental health. Unless her situation changes, she may well end up in hospital, at great expense to the State.
She understands that one reason for the cuts was the expectation that it would bring rents down. Clearly this has not happened. There are two possible solutions to relieve the worst of the hardship. Firstly, without increasing the amount paid out in rent allowance, to allow those who wish to be allowed to supplement their rent for themselves to do so. People could budget in other ways to produce, say, an extra €20 or €30 a month from their own pockets in order to have a better standard of living. The current situation forbids this. Secondly, to have a review board that would take into consideration the circumstances of those with any kind of disability and provide whatever advice or assistance is clearly necessary. – Yours, etc,