The final cut off point for 2016 Basic Payment Scheme applications is at midnight tonight (10 June)

At the beginning of the week, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) issued a reminder to farmers with claims outstanding.

There will be a penalty of 1% of the claim value for every working day an application is received after the initial 16 May deadline. For those applying for new entitlements from the national reserve, the penalty rate will be 3%.

Support from RPA is still available in person and by telephone until 5pm, and online until midnight, on final deadline day.

This support includes:

• A dedicated Rural Services helpline on 03000 200 301, open from 8.30am to 5pm
• Online support centres in Reading, Newcastle, Workington, Carlisle and Exeter open from 9am to 5pm. (Arrive by 4pm if visiting without an appointment) or  - with an appointment - at RPA’s Foss House office in York between 8.30am and 5pm
• A range of guidance videos on the RPA YouTube channel includes ‘Hints and Tips’, advice on changing land use and a general overview of how to apply online
• A useful ‘Hints and Tips’ document is also available at GOV.UK/rpa/bps2016.

Those applying online can check that their claim has been received by clicking on the ‘Apply for BPS’ screen on the Rural Payments service. RPA said receipts are still being sent out for applications submitted by paper. Farmers can notify the RPA of errors in their application without penalty at any time provided RPA has not already told them about it or they have had notice of an inspection.

On Wednesday, the NFU called for a simpler application process for BPS 2017, saying this year’s form was too complex.

NFU Vice President Guy Smith said the NFU wanted to send a “Reminder to the RPA that the application forms must be within farmers’ capabilities.” He said, “It’s essential that the guidance, navigating the system itself and the administration are user-friendly. The basic principle of the BPS form is that it is designed for farmers to be able to complete it themselves. The fact that it has been so complex has forced many farmers to hand the form over to specialists to complete and this is unacceptable.”

Smith’s comments came as the union revealed that a survey of 40,000 farmers (46 per cent of claimants) paid agents £20million to fill in BPS forms for them this year. The union said this amounts to an increase of around 10,000 farmers using agents in just two years – an additional expenditure of £5million to agents at a time of low returns for many sectors.

NFU’s Guy Smith added, “To be clear, we are not suggesting agents do not represent good value for money or that farmers should not use agents at all.

“On top of this we have a BPS 2015 ‘hangover’; we estimate there are over 20,000 queries relating to mapping, field data, coding and entitlements outstanding from BPS 2015. Our demand of Government is to make sure the RPA have the necessary resource to sort these issues out quickly and competently. Our estimate is there is £60 million that has not gone out this year because of application issues. This is yet more cost on our industry at a time it can ill afford it.”