Charity calls for rent cap

THE Peter McVerry Trust has called for rents in the private rental market to be capped in a bid to avoid what the charity says is a worsening homeless crisis.

Its annual report for 2013, published last week, shows that the charity supported 3,586 people across its services last year with young, single males accounting for the vast majority of those receiving support.

The trust has now called for significant increases in Government funding to address housing in the upcoming budget and the introduction of measures to tackle rent prices and discrimination against people on rent supplement.

According to Pat Doyle, the CEO of Peter McVerry Trust, accommodation continued to be the single biggest issue for the sector.

“Last year the number of private rental properties available decreased and the gap between rent supplement and market prices continued to grow,

? he said.

“We would urge the Government to regulate the private rental market to cap rents and avoid the crisis worsening.

“There is also a need to introduce legislative measures to end discrimination against those individuals who are dependent on rent supplement to secure accommodation.

?

However, despite what Mr Doyle described as

“extremely challenging times

?, he believes that the Peter McVerry Trust can help people to permanently exit homelessness.

“In the last two and half years over 300 people have been supported by us to exit homelessness in what are extremely challenging circumstances,

? he pointed out.

“If the lack of housing options is addressed we are confident that we can significantly increase the numbers exiting homelessness with our support.

?

Mr Doyle said the ability to achieve the targets of ending the need to sleep rough and long term homelessness by the end of 2016 now rested largely on whether Budget 2015 would deliver the necessary funding.

“We have policies, we have plans, we have task forces, we have high-level groups, what we need now is money to secure accommodation,

? he added.

“We need Budget 2015 to deliver significant capital funding to acquire social housing units and provide exit points for people in homeless services.

?