Hogan seeking rent reform for council tenants in receipt of carer's allowance

Athlone councillor Paul Hogan is calling on Westmeath County Council to disregard carer's allowance as income when calculating rents for its tenants.

The Independent Ireland councillor said this was an issue he had been raising for some time, and that he had tabled a motion on it for discussion at an upcoming council meeting.

"I am seeking reform of the differential rent scheme for those council tenants in receipt of carer's allowance," said Cllr Hogan.

"I have been fighting a long time to disregard carer's allowance as a reckonable income for the calculation of council rent.

"This payment is paid to people on low incomes to provide care to someone who needs continual supervision and assistance. This has become even more challenging with the onset of the cost-of-living and fuel price crises.

"I have consistently raised this issue and I have a motion tabled for Westmeath County Council," he added.

"I am calling for a half-rate carer's allowance to be disregarded in full, disability allowance disregard to be extended to children aged 16 and 17, and maintain the current disregard system for the full carer's allowance. These proposed changes would provide protections for households caring for people with disabilities."

He said that if changes to the current system were agreed at council level, they would likely come into effect in February of 2027.