Rural Social Scheme

The Rural Social Scheme provides a supplementary income for low-income farmers and fishers who are unable to earn an adequate living.

An RSS participant must work 19.5 hours per week. These hours are based on a farmer or fisher-friendly schedule. This ensures that participation on the scheme does not affect your farming or fishing activities.

If you get a place on the scheme, you are offered a contract from your start date up to the following 31 March. You may be considered for a further term following the initial contract, if you continue to meet all the criteria for the scheme.

To participate in the scheme, you must be 25 years or over, actively farming or fishing, and in receipt of one of the following social welfare payments:

• Farm or Fish Assist.
• Jobseeker's Allowance.
• Jobseeker's Transitional Payment.
• Disability Allowance.
• One-Parent Family Payment.
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension.
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension.
• Increase for a qualified adult under 66 years of age as part of your spouse, cohabitant or civil partner's State Pension (Non-contributory).

OR

From 1 January 2026

You may also qualify for RSS if you are aged 25 years or over, in receipt of a qualifying payment above and meet one of the following conditions:

• You are actively farming or fishing and have a defined connection to the holder of a farming number or fishing licence (see below).
• You are a couple who are actively farming or fishing, both you and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may access the RSS scheme (see below).

Contract duration

Under the above eligibility criteria, the initial RSS employment contract ends on 31 March. After this, three‑year contracts may be offered if you continue to satisfy the RSS eligibility criteria. Please note participants must retire the day prior to their 66th birthday.

RSS pilot for rural dwellers aged 50 or over;

From 1 January 2026, you may qualify for RSS if you:

• are 50 years of age or over.
• live in a rural area, and
• receive one of the qualifying payments listed above.

Under this pilot, you do not need a farming number or fishing licence.

A rural area is anywhere in Ireland outside the cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway, per DRCDG Leader Programme.

Your initial contract will end on 31 March, with yearly contracts offered after that for the length of the pilot provided you continue to satisfy the eligibility criteria.

OR

RSS ‘Defined Connection’

A “defined” connection means you are actively farming or fishing and are

• a family member of the holder of the farming number or fishing licence number,

OR

• a person who is not a family member but is actively involved in the farming or fishing activity.

Family members include the following (in-laws included):

• spouse, civil partner or co-habitant
• father or mother
• son or daughter
• brother or sister
• grandfather, grandmother or grandchild
• aunt or uncle
• niece or nephew

The farming number or fishing license number can only be used once to access the RSS through the defined connection option (except where a couple are both farming or fishing).

The person accessing RSS through the defined connection must provide consent from the farming number owner(s) or fishing licence holder(s). This consent can be provided by completing the RSS2 form - “Use of Farming Number/Fishing Licence Agreement”. This RSS 2 form must be accompanied by copies of the relevant documentation set out i.e. Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application for the current year OR relevant documentation to support evidence of fishing.

Couples engaged in Farming or Fishing

RSS is available to the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of a Farmer or Fisher if they:

• are 25 years of age or older,
• Are actively engaged in farming or fishing, and
• receive a qualifying social welfare payment to access RSS

Eligibility also applies to the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of a current RSS participant who is claiming a qualified adult allowance. Both you and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may avail of the RSS in your own right.

Spousal Swap

• If you qualify for RSS but do not wish to participate in the scheme, your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can take the available place (previously known as spousal swap).

Where a spouse or couple are accessing the RSS, consent from the farming number owner(s) or fishing licence holder(s) must be provided. This consent must be provided by completing the RSS2 form - “Use of Farming Number/Fishing Licence Agreement”. This RSS 2 form must be accompanied by copies of the relevant documentation set out i.e. Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application for the current year OR relevant documentation to support evidence of fishing.

Criteria for a farmer

You must provide proof that you are actively farming a minimum of 1 hectare within the State. To do this, you must provide a copy of your application for the Basic Income support for Sustainability (BISS) for the current year, including a valid farming number. i.e. A herd/flock or other relevant number.

Criteria for a fisher

A fisher must satisfy one of the following categories and provide relevant documentation to support evidence of fishing:

• self-employed fisher on a fishing boat that has been entered in the register of fishing boats
• self-employed fisher whose boat has been issued with a pot fishing licence
• self-employed fisher who has been issued with a commercial salmon fishing licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland
• self-employed fisher who has been issued with a dredging licence for shellfish from Inland Fisheries Ireland
• holders of an aquaculture licence
• permit holders for shell fishing issued by a registered cooperative.

The rates of payment for new participants on the scheme depends on your qualifying social welfare payment.

The minimum weekly payment is €286.50.

Social insurance (PRSI) contribution

A Class A social insurance (PRSI) contribution is paid on behalf of all participants in the scheme. (This may not apply to all participants depending on the top up payment amount received ). You are not liable for the Universal Social Charge (USC) on your payment.

Tax

Your income is liable for tax. Please contact the Revenue Commissioners regarding your tax implications.

Medical Card

You may retain your medical card while you are taking part in the Rural Social Scheme.

Changes to your circumstances

The same means rules that apply to your original social welfare payment also apply to your Rural Social Scheme payment.

If there is any change in your household circumstances, you should inform your Rural Social Scheme Employer immediately as it may affect your rate of payment or your continued entitlement to remain on the scheme.

Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.

Operational Guidelines: Rural Social Scheme.

As this scheme is administered locally, you should contact your local Implementing Body (IB) for further information or an application form. The IB must ensure all applicants meet the criteria set out in the above conditions.