Almost 1,500 households seeking a social home in Clare aren’t currently in receipt of a form of housing support.
Data from Clare County Council shows more than half of those on the county’s social housing list aren’t already living in local authority accommodation or benefitting from a support scheme.
A total of 2,811 households are on the waiting list for a social home in Clare at present.
78% of these, or 2,209, are looking for a one or two-bedroom property, while 16% are seeking a three-bed home and the remaining 6% want a four or five-bed dwelling.
Ennis remains the area of greatest demand, with 1,239 households expressing a desire to live there, following by Shannon, Clarecastle, the joint areas of Inagh, Ennistymon and Lahinch, and Kilrush.
Of the households currently on the list, 47% are in receipt of some form of housing support, with the vast majority of these availing of the Housing Assistance Payment.
The remaining households on the list receiving support are either already living in local authority housing, residing in accommodation provided by associated housing bodies or receiving payment through the Rental Accommodation Scheme.
This means a total of 1,488, or 53% of households on the county’s social housing list, aren’t currently receiving any supports, which is 4% higher than the figure for the same time last year.
