Farmers were today (13 March) encouraged to submit their
Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) applications before the
15 May deadline.
From today they can also claim for their Countryside
Stewardship (CS) and Environmental
Stewardship (ES) agreements. The
timings for all payments schemes have been aligned by the
Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to simplify and improve
the experience for farmers.
The Government has confirmed that all
eligible BPS, CS and ES payments
will be funded this year, regardless of the outcome of
negotiations with the EU.
Farmers and land managers must ensure that they continue to
follow all the current regulations to avoid penalties,
including on cross-compliance.
RPA Chief
Executive Paul Caldwell said:
We are working hard to deliver year-on-year improvements
to the BPSscheme, and this year we
delivered our best performance for paying farmers since
the scheme opened in 2015.
We know there is more to do on CS and ES schemes
to get payments out promptly, which is why are making a
number of improvements to the administration of these
schemes.
It’s important that farmers and their agents complete
their applications and claims promptly and ensure they
are submitted before 15 May.
Applicants to BPS and CS can
quickly update their personal and business information by
applying through the Rural Payments
service, where farmers and their agents can also view
and transfer their entitlements and land parcels.
ES agreement
holders will receive a claim form in the post to fill out
and return to the RPA leaving time for
the post to arrive ahead of 15 May. This
year CS customers can take
advantage of even more options online, and now also benefit
from simplified rules on evidence requirements. They can
also contact the RPA to request a claim
form.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The RPA has published
guidance on applying for BPS here
- Guidance on how to claim online for CS can be
found here
-
BPS, CS and ES payments
will continue in 2019, regardless of whether the UK
leaves the EU without a withdrawal deal. You can find out
more information on the potential impact of a ‘no-deal’
Brexit on farm businesses here
