Over 60 farmers made appeals to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2023 in respect of the income support scheme farm assist.

Anyone who thinks they have been wrongly refused a social welfare payment can appeal this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Farm assist is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers between the ages of 18 and 66.

In 2023, just six of the 64 appeals were allowed by the office, according to its annual report for 2023. Two were partially allowed and 32 were disallowed.

Other farmers withdrew their appeals, while more appeals were brought forward into 2024.

Case study

A case study within the report showed how one farmer's means exceeded the statutory limit for payment.

The farmer in question applied for farm assist in October 2023 and in their application form, they stated that they had a farm, income from self-employment, payments under an agri-environmental scheme and income from insurable employment.

However, the Department informed the farmer that they were not entitled to payment on the grounds that their means, calculated as €241 a week, exceeded the maximum rate that would be payable based on their family circumstances, which is €220 a week.

In his grounds for appeal, the farmer said that the amount of savings used in the calculation of their means was incorrect and that the allowances applied in their case were too small.

Following a review of their means assessment, the farmer was still not entitled to payment as the means was calculated this time at €230 a week.

Farm income and income from off-farm self-employment is assessed at 70% for this payment.

The appeals officer concluded that the appellant was not entitled to receive farm assist as their means exceeded the maximum rate that would be payable based on their family circumstances.