RPA has announced the new flat rate values for the three English regions under the 2011 Single Payment Scheme:

• €289.94 for non-SDA (Severely Disadvantaged Areas)
• €233.95 for upland SDA, other than moorland
• €40.82 for upland SDA moorland

For 2011, these flat rates have been calculated using 90% of the total SPS funding for England. The remaining 10% will be used to increase entitlement values based on farmers’ historical allocation.

The conversion rate we will apply is €1 = £ 0.86665 (based on the value of the Euro as at 30 September 2011).

We use the revalued figures to calculate each individual Single Payment Scheme (SPS) 2011 payment due. We will start to make full SPS payments as soon as possible (after the payment window opens on 1 December 2011) to farmers whose claim has been validated.

The entitlement values are established before claims are finalised and before we deduct European and National modulation or apply any penalties. The SPS payment we make will, therefore, be lower than the values shown on the Entitlements Statement.

2011 Entitlements Statements

We will make SPS 2011 Entitlements Statements available to view on SPS Online by 1 December 2011. These statements will confirm the number and value of each farmer’s SPS 2011 entitlements. Farmers and agents will be able to print any of their statements from SPS Online.

To access SPS Online and to view Entitlements Statements, farmers and agents who have not previously registered will need the personal identification number (PIN) we issued earlier this year, and should follow the guidance sent with it.

If you do not have a PIN, or have mislaid the one we issued to you, a new one can be requested (which will deactivate any PIN you may already have). You should go to rpa.defra.gov.uk/spsonline, or you can contact our Customer Service Centre on 0845 603 7777. Please note that we will only send the PIN to the person(s) you have registered as legally empowered for the business (using the Customer Registration form - CReg 01). This is usually the person who is legally responsible for the business (the owner, partner or director). We do not send a PIN to an agent or other members of the business who are empowered to receive SPS mail (using the Customer Registration form - CReg 01 or Agent authorisation form - SP9).

There will be a relatively small number of 2011 Entitlements Statements that will not be available to view on SPS Online by 1 December. These statements will be made available online when the entitlements have been checked and any correction work has been completed.

We will also send out paper copies of the Entitlements Statements in January, but only to those farmers or agents who applied on paper forms for 2011. We will send some guidance notes with the statements and further guidance will be available online.

Farmers and growers should check their 2011 Entitlements Statement when they access it via SPS Online, or when they receive the paper version. If they believe the information shown on the Entitlements Statement is incorrect they should notify RPA in writing as soon as possible.