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BPS 2018 – Key Messages

Peter Walker - Wilson Wraight


The 2018 application window opens on 13th March and closes at midnight on 15th May 2018 (11th June with penalties).

 

There are four key stages:

 

  1. CHECK – Make sure you can access all your information on Rural Payments as soon as possible and that your land is present and correct. Missing land parcels (provided they have previously been registered) can be added by simply emailing ruralpayments@defra.gsi.gov.uk with your SBI and ‘ADD LAND’ as the subject title.  Unwanted land parcels can be removed by following the link under the Land option.  Beware, the RPA have been making proactive mapping updates which are visible on the Land Viewer and will have been notified via the Rural Payments messages portal.  All proactive mapping changes should cease tomorrow for the duration of the application window, but customer led changes will still be updated, eg via RLE1 forms or the new telephone mapping correction option for simple changes (03000 200 301).

 

  1. CHANGE – The Land Use, as at 15th May 2018, for every part of the holding requires updating. The full list of crop codes can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rural-payments-service-land-use-codes-2018   Check the new Greening Regulations and make sure you comply.  Field Margins and Hedges can be an easy way to accumulate EFA area and there is a new hedge ‘layer’ on the Land Viewer providing lengths of all eligible hedges.

 

  1. COMPLETE – All the declarations must be completed. The Active Farmer test is no longer applicable, but will still need to be completed – all applicants should tick ‘No – I qualify as an Active Farmer’ irrespective of their status.  NB new applicants will need to ensure the declaration is made before entitlements can be transferred in.  Young Farmers will need to complete a separate section and must remember to submit (or re-submit) all the necessary supporting information by post before 15th

 

  1. CONFIRM – check through the whole application and remember to Submit. Keep a paper/pdf copy of the submission and remember further submissions can be made if required to supersede the original.