More than £158m will be shared by over 15,600 farms across Wales as Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2023 advance payments are made today (Thursday 12 October), Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced.

The announcement means over 96 per cent of claimants will see a BPS advance payment worth approximately 70% of their estimated claim value.

This year, for the first time, Rural Payments Wales (RPW) will be making BPS advance payments during a payment window.

The new payment window which opens today will run until 15 December. Farm businesses not receiving an advance payment tomorrow, but whose claim is subsequently validated before 15 December, will receive the advance payment.

This means more farm businesses will benefit from receiving a BPS advance payment.

Full and remaining balance BPS 2023 payments will be made from 15 December 2023, subject to full validation of the BPS claim.

It is expected all but the most complex BPS claims will be fully validated, and payments made before the end of the payment window on 30 June 2024.

Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said: “I am pleased we can provide BPS advance payments to thousands of farms across Wales.

“Changes we have made also means more farm businesses will benefit from an advance payment during the payment window.

“RPW will be working hard to ensure full and remaining balance payments are made as early as possible from 15 December."