More than 15,600 Welsh farms will receive a share of over £161m when Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2022 advance payments are made tomorrow.
This means 97% of claimants will receive a BPS advance payment worth 70% of their estimated claim value, the Welsh government said today (13 October).
This is the second year Rural Payments Wales (RPW) is making automatic BPS advance payments in October.
Before 2021, BPS payments commenced from 1 December annually. But rule changes were made following the end of the EU Exit Implementation Period, which simplified the requirements for BPS.
The regulation change sees BPS advance payments made prior to December to eligible claimants.
Reasons why a BPS advance payment may not be made include ongoing land dispute, breaches identified at inspection or outstanding probate matters.
Full and remaining balance BPS 2022 payments will be made from 15 December 2022, 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 2023.
Wales' rural affairs minister, Lesley Griffiths said: “Following the simplification of BPS requirements, advance payments have been made prior to December which provides financial certainty to farm business during this extremely challenging time.
“In addition, here in Wales we have maintained the BPS budget at £238m, the same level as last year.
“Full and remaining balance BPS 2021 payments will be made from 15 December and my officials will again this year be working hard to make these payments to as many farmers as possible early in the payment window.”
Welsh Conservative Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Samuel Kurtz said that while the news was welcome, farmers were being offered 'little flexibility' when claiming their BPS.
“Welsh Conservatives were calling for the option of these payments to be brought forward to July, back in the spring," he said.
"This flexibility in payment times could have allowed farmers in Wales to buy resources before inflation continued to rise."
