Budget costs low income farms €100pw

Low income farmers could be nearly €100 per week worse off after last week’s budget.

The major impact on them is the abolition of Farm Assist income and child disregards, hitting more than 11,000 current recipients for this means-tested income support scheme.

A married farmer with two dependent children on farm income of €300/week will see the Farm Assist payment reduce from €121.55 to €72.40/week, according to IFA.