Life after BPS

As we are currently amidst the time of year when BPS forms would usually be submitted, we thought it a poignant time to explain what is to happen to BPS in the coming years as we move to delinked payments.

There is no longer a BPS claim submission period (i.e. no forms to fill in for BPS this year and beyond!). Instead, ‘delinked payments’ will replace the usual Basic Payment Scheme. Payments will no longer be linked to land or entitlements.

The delinked payments have been calculated based on your BPS payments received in 2020, 2021 and 2022. You will continue to receive delinked payments through until 2027 regardless of any changes to land, or if you decide to stop farming. However, you must have claimed BPS in 2023 to receive the delinked payments

Hopefully, you should all now have received your delinked payment statement outlining the reference amount for the coming years. However, we would urge you to double check that the reference amounts are correct!

If you need to complete a transfer of all or part of your reference amount, this must be completed by 10 May 2024. If you think this may apply to you, or if you think your reference amounts don’t look correct, please get in touch and we can assist you.

Keeping Land Uses up to date!

Whilst there is no longer a requirement to record cropping through BPS, we strongly recommend that your land uses are kept up to date with the RPA. We don’t know what this information will be used for in future years, or future schemes, so keeping it up to date now may just avoid you kicking yourself further down the line!! With this in mind, if we have completed your BPS application in previous years we will be in touch with you in due course to confirm cropping for the current year. If we haven’t completed your BPS application in the past, but you would like assistance with keeping your cropping up to date, please get in touch.

Countryside Stewardship Revenue Claims

PLEASE NOTE… although there is no BPS claim period, you MUST still complete and submit your Countryside Stewardship (CS) Revenue Claim forms each year AND ensure that the land use recorded with the RPA matches the option on your claim. We will be in touch shortly if we are involved with your agreements and have submitted claims on your behalf historically.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries.