Basic Payment Scheme has slid into chaos

Giving credit to the Rural Payments Agency does not come easy as their administration of the Basic Payment Scheme has slid into chaos.

Last week the Western Daily Press reported the shock announcement by the RPA that, for this year at least, the new online computer system has been abandoned for making the claim.

However, I commend the RPA for facing up to the very real problems that farmers and their advisors were facing with the failings of the online process.

We are also grateful that the EU Commission has extended the deadline for submission of the BPS application from May 15 to June 15 because of problems being experienced with the introduction of the new scheme throughout Europe.

But the practical details about how the application process will now work are only just emerging and there are a number of important points to note.

First, you still need to ensure you are registered on the new RPA online system. This is usually reasonably straightforward and the easiest way to do this is to call the RPA on 03000 200 301.

Once registered you will need to check your business details, appoint any agent you may wish to deal with your claim and check the level of “permissions” you wish to give yourself or your agent.

Then, although the deadline for the submission of the BPS application itself has been extended to June 15, the deadline for submission of entitlement transfers remains May 15. This is important because in this first year of the BPS, any spare entitlements which are not claimed will be confiscated permanently and their value placed in the National Reserve.

This means claimants must make sure they have matched their eligible land with the equivalent number of entitlements and if any adjustment in their number is required, these need to be made by May 15 and not June 15. To transfer entitlements you need to complete a paper RLE1 form which can be downloaded from the RPA website.

To make a claim, the RPA have produced a blank claim form (BPS5) which can also be downloaded from the website. However, the RPA have said they will be emailing sometime in April pre-populated forms to people who claimed last year with a copy of their RLR maps. So it seems sensible to wait for these pre-populated forms and plans to arrive rather than trying to complete the blank form from scratch.

This is obviously a busy time in the farming calendar and so it is welcome that the application deadline has been pushed back to June 15 but this is no reason to be complacent because there are still tasks which need to be dealt with by May 15.

Farmers and their advisors need to keep their wits about them during this crucial period.  

James Stephen MRICS FAAV
Partner
Rural Practice Chartered Surveyor, Wells
T: 01749 683381
E: james.stephen@carterjonas.co.uk