Rural Social Scheme

The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is aimed at low-income farmers and fishermen and fisherwomen. To qualify for RSS you must be getting a social welfare payment. People participating in RSS provide services that benefit rural communities.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) has overall responsibility for the Rural Social Scheme, including eligibility criteria. The Department monitors the implementation of RSS and supports the organisations that manage RSS locally.

The Department may also inspect any scheme and visit projects. At a local level, RSS is managed by implementing bodies such as local development companies and in the Gaeltacht areas, by Údarás na Gaeltachta.

What type of work is carried out by people on RSS ?

The type of work carried out by people on RSS includes:

• Maintaining and enhancing various walking routes, such as waymarked ways, agreed walks and bog roads
• Energy conservation work for older people and people at risk of poverty
• Village and countryside enhancement projects
• Social care and care of older people
• Community care for pre-school and after-school groups
• Environmental maintenance work - maintenance and caretaking of community and sporting facilities
• Projects relating to not-for-profit cultural and heritage centres
• Community administration or clerical work
• Other community-based projects

How many hours' work is involved?

You work 19.5 hours per week. These hours are based on a farmer and fisher-friendly schedule. This is to ensure participation does not affect your farming/fishing activities. If you get a place on RSS, 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 RSS.

The local management decides on your application. On 29 June 2022, the 6-year time limit for participants on RSS was removed.

If you are eligible for RSS but don’t wish to participate, your dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may take the available place. However, this is only if neither of you are participating in any other similar scheme, for example, the Community Employment Scheme. The Rural Social Scheme operates independently of the Community Employment Scheme (CE).

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

To participate in RSS, you must:

• Be 25 years or over and getting Farm Assist, or
• Be actively farming or fishing and getting one of the following social welfare payments:
  • Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Jobseeker's Transitional payment
  • Disability Allowance
  • One-Parent Family Payment
  • Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension or 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)

Actively farming or fishing criteria

Criteria for a farmer

You must provide proof that you are actively farming. To do this, you must provide a copy of your application for the Basic Payment Scheme for the current year, including a valid herd number. If you are actively farming and have not applied for the Basic Payment Scheme, you should contact your local RSS implementing body for advice.

Child or sibling of a farmer

If you are a child or sibling of a herd number owner and you can certify that you live or work on the farm, and you are getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments, you may be able to participate in RSS using your parent or sibling’s herd number.

Spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of a farmer

If you are eligible but do not wish to participate in RSS, your dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can take the available place.

Or, if your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments and is actively farming, they can use your herd number to qualify for RSS.

Your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can participate in RSS, if they are under 66 and you are getting a State Pension (Non-Contributory) which includes an Increase for Qualified Adult for them.

Criteria for a fisherman or fisherwoman

If you are a fisherman or fisherwoman, you must meet one of the following categories to qualify for RSS:

• You are self-employed on a fishing boat that has been entered in the Register of Fishing Boats.
• You are self-employed and your boat has been issued with a pot fishing licence.
• You are self-employed and you have been issued with a commercial salmon fishing licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland.
• You are self-employed and you have been issued with a commercial eel fishing licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland.
• You are self-employed and you have been issued with a dredging licence for shellfish from Inland Fisheries Ireland.
• You have an aquaculture licence.
• You have a permit for shell fishing issued by a registered cooperative.

Spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of a fisherman or fisherwoman

If you are eligible but do not wish to participate in RSS, your dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant cannot take the available place.

The rates of payment for new participants on RSS depends on your qualifying DSP payment. The minimum weekly payment increased to €259.50 in January 2024.

If the actual social welfare payment (including dependants) you were getting is €232 a week or less, then you will get the minimum RSS weekly rate of €259.50 (that is €232 plus €27.50). If your actual weekly social welfare payment (including dependants) was €232.01 or more, then you will get the equivalent rate plus €27.50.

If you were getting an age-related reduced rate of payment, your payment is increased to the minimum weekly rate of €259.50.

PRSI contribution

A Class A PRSI contribution is paid on behalf of all RSS participants. You do not have to pay Universal Social Charge (USC) on your RSS payment.

Tax

Your income is liable for tax. Depending on your circumstances, it is likely you will pay little or no tax. Find out more about tax.

Other social welfare payments

If you are getting other social welfare payments you should check with your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office to find out whether they will be affected. You can keep your medical card while you are taking part in the Rural Social Scheme.

Changes to your circumstances

The rules that apply to your original social welfare payment also apply to your RSS payment. This means that, if your dependant gets a job, their income will be assessed as means and your RSS payment may be reduced.

Your RSS payment cannot be reduced below the minimum rate of €259.50. To avoid any possible overpayments, if there is any change in your circumstances, you should inform your local RSS implementing body.

You should contact your local RSS implementing body for further information or an application form.

You can also read the Department of Social Protection's guidelines on the Rural Social Scheme.