Scotland moves closer to starting BPS payments

The Scottish government has said it remains on track to start making support payments to farmers so they arrive just ahead of the New Year.

The first payment run – to about 25% of farmers – is expected to get underway before Christmas with payments beginning to arrive in bank accounts before the end of the month.

The payments will be for about 70% of the farmer’s claim, with the balance due to be paid in April.

See also: Farm leaders claim BPS cash slowed to ‘disappointing dribble’

The industry has been told the majority of farmers should receive their initial payment by the end of January, with all first installments expected to be paid by the end of March.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s agriculture minister Michelle O’Neill has announced that her department had delivered on its promise to make 95% of payments to eligible applicants by the end of December.

Payments totalling £192.4m had been issued to farmers by 21 December which equals last year’s Single Payment Scheme record.

Ms O’Neill also said that over 1,700 inspected claims had been paid in December, the largest number ever processed by this time of year.

One of the reasons such good progress had been made was the number of farmers who had applied for their payments online, she said.

“We have worked closely with farming representatives to encourage farmers to use the online application system, which avoids queues, speeds up the claim processing system and contributes to more payments being issued earlier.

“I would once again strongly encourage farmers to go online themselves or to ask their agent or form filler to do so.

“It is the most effective way to avoid mistakes, particularly for those farmers who will potentially have positive greening requirements to meet.”

In contrast to the situation in Northern Ireland, farm leaders in England have said they are worried payments have slowed to a ‘disappointing dribble’.

The Rural Payments Agency is expected to issue an update on progress just ahead of Christmas.