CARL O'BRIEN

THE NUMBER of households receiving emergency welfare support to help them meet mortgage repayments has increased by more than 250 per cent over the past two years.

New figures compiled by the Department of Social and Family Affairs show that almost 14,740 people are getting the mortgage interest relief supplement. This compares with 8,000 recipients at the end of 2008, and 4,000 at the end of 2007.

Under the scheme, households receive an average of €365 every month to help them cover part of their repayments. The mortgage interest relief supplement is designed to be a short-term payment to cover the interest portion of the home loan.

In a further sign of how the downturn is affecting households, the number of people in receipt of rent supplement – a short-term welfare payment for those who cannot afford rent – has risen to in excess of 90,000, an increase of more than 50 per cent since the end of 2007.

Department of Social and Family Affairs officials are reviewing the mortgage interest relief supplement to see how it “can best meet its objective of catering for those who require assistance on a short-term basis, where they are unable to meet mortgage interest repayments on their sole place of residence”.

Number of households getting mortgage aid up by over 250% - The Irish Times - Sat, Jan 02, 2010