A leading homelessness charity says the government’s failure to increase rent supplements is forcing people onto the streets.

The Simon Communities has released a survey which shows that just 12% of properties available for rent are within the limits of the Housing Assistance Payment or Rent Supplement.

It has called for an immediate increase in limits - but admits that would only go some way towards fully addressing the homelessness problem.

This survey carried out by the Simon Communities showed an average of 1,150 properties available to rent on property site Daft.ie.

Of those, just 138 - or 12% - were available within Rent Supplement or Housing Assistance Payment limits.

The Simon Communities says the failure to move the supplement in line with rent hikes of up to 40% over the past two years has forced people onto the streets.

Niamh Randall is the group’s national spokesperson:

The Simon Communities is now calling on the coalition to increase the limits immediately - ahead of the annual pre-Budget forum this Friday.

However, there is a warning that even if that matter is addressed in the next Budget, the housing and rent crisis will not go away immediately.

Ronan Lyons is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Trinity College: