Claiming Farm Household Allowance (FHA) 002-02020000

Customers can use the Payment and Service Finder on the Services Australia website to identify if FHA is the appropriate service offer.

Online claim

Customers must create a myGov account and link their Centrelink online account to it. They can start their claim by:

• signing into myGov and selecting their linked Centrelink online account
• select Payments and claims > Claims > Make a claim from the Menu option
• from the Make a claim page, select Get started under the Other payments category, followed by Apply for Farm Household Allowance

When they submit their completed claim online, the Next steps page will advise them of any further information or documentation required for their claim to be finalised.

If the customer does not submit a completed online claim and upload the required documents, the online claim will expire after 13 weeks. The customer will need to restart the new claim process. See Circumstance Change Monitor (CCM) for more details.

Notifications will be sent to the customer (and partner for combined partner claim) if they are subscribed to Electronic Messaging (EM) to advise of the claim's progress. For a list of the notifications that the customer will receive during the FHA online claim process. See the CCM Notifications Matrix in Circumstance Change Monitor (CCM).

Online combined partner claim information

Farmers and their partners can submit an online combined partner claim.

The combined partner claim is offered at the Review and Confirm stage of the claim.

Paper claim

A combined partner paper claim is available for customers who are unable or unsuitable to claim online. Customers can complete and lodge the following forms:

• Claim for Farm Household Allowance (SU694)
• Income and assets (SA369)

Additional information may need to be provided using separate forms, for example, Real estate details (MOD R), Private Trust (MOD PT) and Private Company (MOD PC).

Assisted Customer Claim (ACC)

Service Officers can offer to run an ACC:

• With the customer
• For a combined claim where the customer is eligible
• For the partner of an FHA combined partner claim

A Service Officer can start a claim in ACC and encourage the customer to complete the claim online. Customers can monitor the progress of their completed claim through their:

• Centrelink online account, or
• Express Plus Centrelink mobile app

Claims cannot be submitted online or via ACC until all required mandatory questions have been answered.

Once the Service Officer has completed the ACC, the customer must:

• submit their claim through their Centrelink online account, or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app, or
• accept the verbal declaration read to them by the Service Officer

If not submitted, a started ACC claim will expire after 13 weeks. The customer must start a new claim.

Date from which a claim is assessed

Eligible customers receive payments from the date they lodge a claim for FHA. Previous 'deemed date of claim' provisions were abolished on 1 July 2018 for customers other than those experiencing vulnerability. For details about customers experiencing vulnerability, see Intent to claim and vulnerable customers.

If the customer does not provide the required documents within 14 days of submitting the claim, the claim is rejected unless an additional request for documents has been made. See Streaming and processing a new claim for Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

4 in 10 year periods

On 1 August 2018, the Australian Government extended the period farmers and their partners can receive FHA to 4 years (1,460 days). A further change introduced on 16 December 2019 allows FHA to be payable for 4 years in every specified 10 year period. The first specified 10 year period started on 1 July 2014. The second specified 10 year period starts on 1 July 2024. Customers who have already received 1,460 days, may be eligible for FHA again from 1 July 2024.

From 2 April 2024, farmers and their partners can lodge early claims for FHA to test eligibility for the new 4 in 10 year period from 1 July 2024. Although they can lodge the claim from 2 April 2024, the customer and/or their partner if eligible, will not start to receive payment until after 1 July 2024.

This is the only time an early claim for FHA can be accepted.

Customers claiming for periods after 1 July 2024, are subject to an increased eligibility threshold for gross income of $60,000.

Current customers who have received less than 1,460 days by 30 June 2024 will automatically roll over into the next 10 year period. Their FHA eligible days will reset to 1,460. Customers can also choose to opt out of receiving FHA from the start of the next 10-year period using their Centrelink online account. For customers who choose to opt out, their last day of payment will be 30 June 2024.

Rural Financial Counsellors (RFC)

RFCs may assist farmers and partners of farmers in the preparation and lodgement of claims for FHA. Paper claims (SU694) from the Rural Financial Counselling Service (RCFS) can be lodged and accepted.

An RFC is authorised to sight, copy, and certify original identity documents for the purpose of completing linkage with the customer as part of the Identity Confirmation process for FHA claims.
See Sighting, recording and returning original documents.

Offer customers a referral to the RFCS as they may benefit from the free confidential services available. A person does not need to be receiving FHA to access the services of the RFCS. This service supports farming families to better understand their financial situation and plan for the future. RFCS can help customers prepare and lodge claims for FHA.

Nominees do not have access to lodge online claims, therefore correspondence nominees are to be offered a paper claim (SU694) when they want to apply for FHA on behalf of their principal.

For more details about FHA and the RFCS, see the Resources page for relevant links.

Customers who are registered members of the PBS will not be eligible for a Pension Bonus if they have been paid FHA. Service Officers should recommend the customer contact a Financial Information Service (FIS) Officer before they lodge their claim for FHA.

See Table 1, Step 7 on the Process page for the required documentation customers may be requested to provide to support their FHA claim.

If further details are required to assess the customer's claim, the Smart Centre FHA Processing team will issue a Request for Information letter. See Table 1 Step 8 for what occurs after FHA is granted.

Customers must meet their mutual obligations, or FHA payments may be stopped or not granted.

When FHA is granted, customers in severe financial hardship may be eligible for a hardship advance.

For details about urgent payments and advance payments, see Rate and payment of Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) may be able to assist customers experiencing financial hardship. See RFCS for more details.

If the customer is at risk or is experiencing vulnerability, offer referral to available resources, external service providers or agency specialist staff if required.

The RFCS provides free, independent, and confidential assistance to eligible farmers to:

• help them better understand their financial situation
• offer a range of services and information to support customers assess their business finances and plan for the future
• access government and industry programs as well as help with short-term issues like negotiating loans, debt mediation and succession planning
• access professional services to assist them manage and cope with stress

The RFCS can complete the Farm Financial Assessment (FFA).

Customers may consent to have their Rural Financial Counsellor (RFC) attend meetings with them and their FHCO. This makes sure they receive support from both services that complement each other as the customer works to improve their financial situation.

A person not receiving FHA can be offered a referral to RFCS to access their services.

The Resources page includes a link to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry > Rural Financial Counselling Service.

If a customer:

• makes an inappropriate claim for FHA and subsequently makes a claim for another more appropriate payment for which they are eligible, the date of claim is taken to be the same date as the inappropriate claim
• has made an incorrect claim followed by a subsequent claim for FHA, the claim for FHA can be taken to have been made the day the first claim was made if it was reasonable to do so, and all relevant factors have been considered

A customer may withdraw their claim for FHA at any time during the claim assessment. A withdrawn claim is taken to not have been made.

Customers who have submitted an online claim can withdraw their claim online.

If requested by the customer, Service Officers can withdraw an undetermined claim.

Combined partner claim

If either of the couple withdraws the combined partner claim, it will automatically be withdrawn for both. A message will show advising that both claims have been withdrawn.