To ask the Minister for Communities what action her Department is taking to address rising rents in the private rental sector.

Research carried out by my Department concluded that the best ways of relieving pressure on affordability for renters was by ensuring the benefit system properly takes account of the cost of housing and by increasing housing supply.

You will be aware that Local Housing Allowance rates have been unfrozen and increased from April. Some of these rates have increased by over forty percent, so this action will go some way in helping many renters pay their rent relieving the pressure on their household budgets.

You will further be aware that one of my key priorities is to increase the supply of good quality and affordable homes. To this end, I have committed to continue to prioritise the building of new social homes and utilise new funding sources to support the delivery of intermediate housing, including the delivery of a new intermediate rent product. I am also currently reviewing a draft Housing Supply Strategy, aimed at unlocking supply across all tenures, and considering options on the way forward.