Farmers urged to safeguard their Hill Farm Allowance Payments

In December, farmers who had indicated on their 2006 SPS Application Forms that they wished to claim Hill Farm Allowance in 2007 should have received explanatory booklets and a declaration to sign. This declaration had to be returned by 19th January, with late applications being penalised by 1% of payment per working day after this date, until the final cut off point of 13th February.

Defra have now told us that over 11,500 farmers indicated that they wanted to claim, but over 1,000 have still to reply.

Douglas Chalmers, Director CLA North said, "With the final deadline in sight, it is now urgent that everyone claiming HFA checks that they have returned their declarations. Defra believe that many of those who have not yet replied are farmers who have claimed HFA in the past.

"These letters will have arrived in the thick of the Christmas post and perhaps been put to one side. Everyone who wishes to claim should check that they have returned their declarations. If they haven't, their payments will have already been reduced, but missing the 13th February deadline means that their claim will not be considered".