Interest free loans for Welsh farmers from day one of BPS window

Interest-free government loans will be available to Welsh farmers who don’t receive their Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) cash on 2 December – day one of the payments window.

Loans under the BPS 2019 Support Scheme will be worth up to 90% of the expected claim value and will be available through the payment window which runs until 30 June 2020.

 “This payment window and support scheme should help provide some assurances to farmers. It will help them plan their finances in the longer term and manage their immediate cash flow too,” said Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths. 

The support scheme will be available to all claimants who are not paid on day one, but farm businesses must opt in and apply for a loan payment. 

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Full details and an online application form are expected from Rural Payment Wales (RPW) in the autumn.

Subject to the terms and conditions being met, a loan payment of 90% of the individual farm business’s expected BPS 2019 claim value will be paid in early December 2019.

Scottish payments advance

The Scottish government recently committed to pay eligible farmers up to 95% of their BPS early to help prepare them cope with the impact of a no-deal Brexit.

It has committed to delivering payments to Scottish farmers who apply for the National Basic Payment Support Scheme from early October rather than December.

Loan letters will be issued next month to allow farmers to opt in.

This will be the second year in a row it has offered the scheme, after bringing forward the payment window in 2018 following the adverse weather in spring and summer.