The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is calling all remaining eligible farmers in England to use the Bank Holiday to complete their applications well ahead of the 16 May deadline.
Nearly half of all applications for Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2016 payments either in progress or submitted.
Latest figures show over 26,000 completed online applications for BPS 2016 have been submitted and more than 17,400 applications are in progress.
The agency has also received a further 4,000 completed paper forms. To date nearly 78,000 of BPS 2015 claims have been completed.
In addition, a further 2,600 bridging payments have already been made. This means almost 80,600 farmers have received a payment.
Chief Executive of the RPA Mark Grimshaw said: "With just over two weeks to go until the 2016 deadline, we are urging farmers who have not yet started or submitted their application for this year’s BPS not to leave it to the last minute.
"The Rural Payments service is working and help is at hand for any farmer applying who wants it.
"Everyone who made a BPS 2015 claim has been sent ‘How to Claim’ guidance, there’s hints and tips on GOV.UK and our network of online support centres are open to give help.
"Meanwhile, we are making good progress with 2015 bridging payments and are on track to pay all the remainder by the end of the week."
'Truss must show firm leadership on BPS issue'
However, not everybody has received their BPS payment. With those farmers' still waiting for 2015 payment, anxiety and stress has taken their toll.
Rural organisations this week wrote to the Defra Secretary of State Liz Truss to encourage her to urgently take a public and proactive role in leading the response to criticisms of the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme and the consequences for 2016.
With financial hardship cases mounting, anxiety rising among BPS claimants, farmers expressing growing concerns about the 2016 scheme and the demands on voluntary organisations creating considerable difficulties for the third sector, the NFU and the CLA want to know that Defra have put sufficient resources and plans in place to manage these problems effectively.
NFU Vice-President Guy Smith, who is still to receive his own BPS payments said: "We need the Secretary of State to now show firm leadership on this issue and give some much needed guarantees to our members.
"Last week we received the announcement that the RPA would be making 50% bridging payments to those yet to receive full payments, but ministers should not be surprised that this latest decision by the RPA has created further distrust rather than assurance amongst farmers."
