www.statusin.org

Organization : Government of Ireland
Facility Name : Apply for Farm Assist
Country : Ireland
Website : https://www.gov.ie/en/service/7cfa30-farm-assist/

What is Farm Assist?

Farm Assist is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers. There is a similar social welfare payment for fishermen and women called Fish Assist . Fish Assist is not a separate scheme, it comes under Jobseeker’s Allowance. The means test takes into account most forms of income, assessed in different ways and disregarding various amounts. If you are receiving payments like the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, property payments, or employment payments, different rules apply.A full-rate increase is usually payable for each child dependant.

How To Qualify for Farm Assist?

To Qualify for Farm Assist, Follow the below steps

The means test takes into account most forms of income, assessed in different ways and disregarding various amounts. If you are receiving payments like the Rural Environment Protection Scheme, property payments, or employment payments, different rules apply.

Farm income and other income from self-employment:

Farm income and income from off-farm self-employment is assessed at 70%.
** There are disregards of €254 for each of the first two children, and €381 for any children after that.

** These are applied first and 70% of the balance is assessed.

** Farming income is assessed as gross income that you, your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may be expected to receive minus any expenses.

** Income over the past 12 months will be used to assess your likely future earnings.

** As farmers may have significant variations in income from year to year, there will be some leeway in this prediction.

Income from farm schemes and direct payments:
Under the Direct Payment system, a farmer’s payment can be a combination of payments under 4 separate schemes

** The Basic Payment Scheme
** The Greening Payment
** The Young Farmer’s Scheme
** Aid for Protein Crops

Income from leasing of land:
** If you have leased all of your land, you are not eligible for Farm Assist.
** However, if you have only leased part of your land, you are still eligible for Farm Assist.

Income from employment:
1. Your income from a job is assessed. Your assessable weekly earnings are usually assessed from the 13 weeks before you claim.
2. They are your gross earning less
** PRSI
** Superannuation
** Pension Levy
** Union dues

Capital:
Capital income includes property, savings and investments. Any property you own but are not personally using, investments or any other form of capital, will be assessed. You may or may not be getting an income from the property or investment.

The value of capital is assessed as follows:
** disregard the first €20,000
** €20,000 to €30,000 is assessed at €1 for every €1,000
** the next €10,000 is assessed at €2 per €1,000
** anything more than €40,000 is assessed at €4 per €1,000

How To Apply for Farm Assist?

To Apply for Farm Assist, Follow the below steps
** You can appeal a decision if you disagree with it.

** You should appeal within 21 days of the decision and you can ask for an oral hearing.

** An appeals officer will then hear your case.

** Their decision is final.

** If new information comes to light or your circumstances change, you can apply for Farm Assist again.

Application Form : https://assets.gov.ie/37078/b024b52a38a1463cbc12877f89f01a43.pdf

Download and complete form Farm 1 at the bottom of this page and return this form to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

Payment Rate of Farm Assist

The Payment Rate of Farm Assist are given below,

A full-rate increase is usually payable for each child dependant.
If you are claiming for a qualified adult but you are not being paid for them because they are on a social welfare payment of their own, you will only get a half-rate increase for each child dependant.