Housing Assistance Payment (HAP)

Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a financial support to assist those renting privately and who are eligible for social housing support.

Applicants for HAP must be on their Local Authority’s Housing waiting list before they can apply for HAP.

If you wish to apply for HAP and are not on your housing authority’s waiting list you must submit an application for Social Housing Support before you can submit your HAP application.

Do I qualify for Social Housing? - Click here

Once you have received your Housing Reference number you can apply for HAP.   

Under HAP, local authorities will make a monthly payment to a landlord, subject to terms and conditions including maximum rent limits per household size, on a HAP tenant’s behalf.

In return, the HAP tenant pays a weekly rent contribution towards the rent to a local authority (Limerick City & County Council).

This ‘rent contribution’ is based on the household income and is calculated and equates to 12% of your net income.

Points to Note before you apply:

• Ensure you are on the Council’s housing list
• Ensure your family details are up to date (Your Social Housing file and HAP application must match. If not, please update your Housing file prior to applying for HAP)
• Ensure you have all required documentation saved to your device before you begin the application process.
• You must find your own accommodation in the private rented market
• HAP does not pay deposits or rent in advance (ensure your prospective Landlord/Agent is made aware of this)
• Landlords are paid monthly in arrears on the last Wednesday of every month by electronic fund transfer to the nominated bank account
• You must pay HAP Shared Services Centre, Limerick, HAP SSC a differential rent contribution in accordance with Fingal County Council’s Differential Rent Scheme which equates to 12% of your net income. Failure to do so will result in your HAP payment to your landlord being suspended and ultimately stopped. Click here to view Differential Rent Scheme
• HAP allows you to work full-time, while still receiving housing support
• Your application will not be considered valid until all required and correct documentation has been received both from the applicant and landlord and is assessed as being acceptable and valid
• Where monthly rent agreed with your landlord exceeds the maximum HAP rate payable by the Council, you must pay the difference (Top Up) directly to your landlord.  The Council has a responsibility to ensure that tenancies are sustainable and cannot provide HAP support where a household is unable to meet the monthly rent payment.
• The earliest date from which the Council will make HAP payments to you is the date your application is processed and deemed valid. An application is deemed valid when the completed HAP application form with all correct required documents from both you and your landlord is received, assessed by our Team, and deemed a valid application. If you move into a property before this validation date, you will be liable for any rent due. 
• The applicant/HAP tenant must have a tenancy which is agreed in good faith for the property the HAP payments will be made for (Reference - Section 39 (2) (e) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014). Where there is a family relationship between the tenant and the landlord, the Council may seek evidence of a previous landlord and tenant relationship between the landlord and the HAP applicant. This evidence may include:
  • Proof of consistent rent payments
  • A lease or tenancy agreement for the property
  • Registration of the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB)
• It is for the applicant and landlord to prove that what is being proposed is a bona fide tenancy. HAP cannot be paid where the tenant is seeking to rent within the family home.
• A HAP application will not proceed where tenants/landlords are aware of any proposed remedial works to the applicable property that may necessitate the property being unoccupied for more than a two week period
• Landlords please see information on Rent Reviews

To Apply For HAP, Click Here

Please Note: if you are inactive on the portal for 5 minutes, you will be timed out and your information will be lost unless you have saved it.

• HAP Online Frequently Asked Questions Tenant & Landlord - Click here
• How to apply for HAP online (Tenant) - Watch Tutorial here
• How to apply for HAP Online (Landlords) - Watch Tutorial here
• Documents a tenant needs to have ready before starting the online process - Click here - Watch tutorial here
• Documents a landlord needs to have ready before starting the online process Click here - Watch tutorial here

HAP Rates

HAP Information Booklet for Landlords

HAP Information Booklet for Tenants

Contact Details:

HAP Section, Housing Department, Fingal County Council, Civic Offices, Grove Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Eircode D15 W638

Telephone: Customer Care 01 8905000, Email:  [email protected]

Further information on the HAP Scheme can be found at www.hap.ie

How to Pay Your HAP Weekly Rent:

HAP App - download in Play Store/ Apple App Store  (HAP Recipient ID No. and PIN required)

Online at happayments.limerick.ie (HAP Recipient ID No. and PIN required)

Phone: (061) 529654 (HAP Recipient ID No. and PIN required)

HAP Billpay Card in any post office or POSTPOINT shop

If you require confirmation of PIN/HAP Recipient ID, please contact: HAP Shared Services Centre 

Phone: (061) 556600 (Dial 1 for tenants or dial 2 for landlords)

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