Figures from the Department of Social Protection show that in 2025, 100 Farm Assist claims were rejected and 388 were awarded.
Farm Assist is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers aged between 18 and 66.
The amount of funding allocated to the scheme decreased in 2025 to €47.6m, down from €52.05m in 2024, and €78.83m in 2016.
The number of recipients for the scheme has also decreased in the past 10 years, with 3,262 farmers applying in 2025, 3,610 in 2024 and 7,828 in 2016.
Of the 2025 figures, 330 were female and 2,932 were male.
Rural Social Scheme
Some 2,548 people availed of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) in 2025, a slight decrease on the previous years’ figures of 2,626.
The scheme has increased its payment to €271.50 for personal recipients and €162 for a qualified adult.
Of those in receipt of the payment last year, 476 were female and 2,072 were male.
The RSS provides a supplementary income for low-income farmers and fishers and to people receiving Farm Assist, Jobseekers Allowance, One-Parent Family allowance or Disability Allowance, and other social welfare payments and offers work opportunities across a wide range of community projects.
Mayo, Donegal and Galway were the counties with the highest number of recipients of both schemes, while eastern counties had the lowest number of recipients for both.
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