Farm Household Allowance (FHA) 002-02000000

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Frequently asked questions/talking points about FHA Relief Payment and the changes to cumulative eligibility

1

Are there any payments available for customers who have cancelled because they have received their full four-year entitlement (measured as 1,460 days)?

Customers who have received their 4 year (1,460 days) entitlement cannot apply for FHA again until July 2024. However, customers who have reached their 4 year (1,460 days) entitlement between 1 July 2019 and 30 September 2020 will receive the one-off FHA Relief Payment. From 16 December 2019, the FHA Relief Payment was issued to all customers that have already cancelled from payment because they have received their 4 year (1,460 days) entitlement.

2

How much will customers receive with the FHA Relief Payment?

Customers who have received their 4 year (1460 days) entitlement who cancel up to and including 30 September 2020 will receive a lump sum payment ($7,500 single rate and $6,500 partnered rate).

3

Where a customer advises that they are no longer with their partner that they were with on their final day of payment, will they get the single or coupled rate of the FHA Relief Payment?

Customers will be paid based on their circumstances on the final day they received FHA, therefore customers who were coupled but now separated will receive the partnered rate.

Go to Identifying customer vulnerability and risk issues if you suspect or are told the customer is experiencing vulnerability because of the separation.

4

Are there any review and appeal rights for the amount of FHA Relief Payment paid to the customer?

No, the payment of FHA Relief Payment is legislated and not subject to review and appeal rights. The FHA Relief Payment will be paid to customers based on their circumstances on the final day they received FHA.

5

The customer is partnered and cancelled because they received 4 years (1,460 days) of FHA payment but their partner is still receiving FHA, or their partner has never received FHA, will the customer be paid the coupled or single rate and will their partner receive the payment?

Customers who have a partner on the final day they receive FHA will be paid the partnered rate ($6,500) regardless if their partner is eligible for the Relief Payment or not. The FHA Relief Payment will only be paid to customers who have cancelled because they received four years (1,460 days) of FHA payments, therefore if the partner is not eligible, they will not receive the payment.

6

Is the FHA Relief Payment Taxable?

The FHA Relief Payment is taxable and will be assessed as income for Family Tax Benefit but will not be included as income for other Centrelink payments.

7

Determining if the FHA Relief Payment is recoverable

If the customer has a debt raised for FHA, and has days added back to their clock as a result. The FHA Relief Payment is not recoverable.

The FHA Relief Payment is only recoverable if it has been determined that the customer received payment of FHA through fraudulent activity. If this is determined, the FHA Relief Payment must be manually raised as a debt.