Farm Household Allowance

This program aims to provide eligible farmers and their partners experiencing financial hardship with assistance through planning and training for long-term financial improvements as well as income support.

The program offers:
- A fortnightly payment for up to four years in each specific 10-year period. The first three periods are:
a) 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2024
b) 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2034
c) 1 July 2034 to 30 June 2044
- Supplementary allowances such as rent assistance, telephone and pharmaceutical allowances and a Health Care Card.
- Individual case support with a Farm Household Case Officer (FHCO).
- A financial assessment of the farm enterprise worth up to $1,500.
- A $10,000 activity supplement that gives farmers an opportunity to develop skills, access training and pay for professional advice to better manage their business into the future.

Additionally, there are one-off relief payments if the 4-year period ends before 30 September 2020. This payment is $7,500 for a single farmer or $6,500 for each member of a couple.

The amount of Farm Household Allowance they get depends on their income and assets. From 11 June 2020, the farm assets test threshold increased permanently to $5.5 million.

Applicants may also be able to get the Coronavirus Supplement if they get at least $1 of an eligible income support payment. The temporary Coronavirus Supplement is available at a rate of:
- $250 per fortnight until 31 December 2020
- $150 per fortnight between 1 January and 31 March 2021 (this extension subject to the passage of legislation).

Eligible applicants must:
- Be a farmer or partner of a farmer.
- Be 16 years or older.
- Contribute labour and capital to an Australian farm, or are the partner of a farmer who does.
- Have income and assets below certain amounts.
- Have had less than four years of FHA in the specific 10-year period.

The main assessment criteria include:
- The purpose of the farm
- The prospect for profit
- Consistency of activity
- Whether the farm runs as a business
- The size, scale and permanency of the farm activity