Farming and food grants and payments – collection

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Reform

Find out about the new CAP schemes in England, including Basic Payment and Countryside Stewardship schemes.

Contents

This collection brings together information on how the reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will affect farmers. This includes information about the new schemes for farmers from 2015.

CAP is a system of agricultural subsidies and programmes covering farming, environmental measures and rural development. The new CAP schemes are being implemented in 2015.

Our blog on CAP reform provides regular news and updates.

Guidance about the new CAP schemes

We are developing specific guidance for farmers on the new schemes, listed in the other sections below as we publish it. The following leaflets will help individuals and businesses get ready.

1. CAP Reform: February 2015 update

   • 23 February 2015
   • Guidance

2. CAP Reform: December 2014 update

   • 19 December 2014
   • Guidance

3. Cross compliance: guidance for 2015

   • 5 December 2014
   • Guidance

4. CAP Reform: October 2014 update

   • 28 October 2014
   • Guidance

5. CAP Reform: August 2014 update (including ‘greening: how it works’)

   • 14 August 2014
   • Guidance

6. CAP Reform: introduction to the new Common Agricultural Policy schemes

   • 14 April 2014
   • Guidance

Online applications and payments

Defra’s new online service for Rural Payments will handle applications and payments for CAP schemes starting in 2015.

You can register now to start claiming for the Basic Payment Scheme at www.gov.uk/rural-payments (or by calling 03000 200 301).

The new service is being built in stages: read our blog to find out the latest position. We’ll be helping farmers to get online – if you think you’ll need help, call the Rural Payments Agency on 03000 200 301.

1. Find help to claim rural payments

   • 19 December 2014
   • Detailed guide

Basic Payment Scheme

The Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is the main rural payments scheme to help the farming industry. Our collection of guidance will help you find out more about the scheme and find out if you’re eligible.

1. Basic Payment Scheme: guidance for 2015

   • 24 February 2015
   • Statutory guidance

2. RPA publishes guide to Basic Payment Scheme 2015

   • 24 February 2015
   • Press release

Countryside Stewardship schemes

Under the Rural Development Programme for England a number of Countryside Stewardship schemes will become available during 2015. We will include links to guidance here as schemes become available.

1. Guide to Countryside Stewardship: woodland capital grants 2015

   • 17 February 2015
   • Guidance

Greening and double funding

Information for farmers and land managers with Environmental Stewardship agreements to help work out whether their payments have to be adjusted to avoid ‘double funding’ under new CAP rules, and if so, the choices available. The information includes a calculator tool.

1. CAP Reform: how we will manage double funding (greening and Environmental Stewardship)

   • 8 October 2014
   • Guidance

Policy and news background

We published the government response to the consultation in December 2013, and published government responses on remaining issues in February (new environmental land management scheme), April (moorland) and June 2014 (greening).

For more information see reform of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the new schemes for farmers from 2015.

1. RPA publishes guide to Basic Payment Scheme 2015

   • 24 February 2015
   • Press release

2. RDPE programme document 2014 to 2020

   • 17 February 2015
   • Policy paper

3. RPA opens new Rural Payments service to all BPS customers

   • 3 February 2015
   • Press release

4. Thousands get ready to claim Basic Payment Scheme 2015

   • 21 January 2015
   • Press release

5. Agents lead the way in registering on new online service for rural payments

   • 16 January 2015
   • Press release

6. Latest CAP leaflet includes important details on active farmer rule

   • 19 December 2014
   • Press release

7. New 2015 cross compliance guidance available online now

   • 5 December 2014
   • Press release

8. More details released on CAP Reform in England

   • 28 October 2014
   • Press release

9. Subsidies for solar farms to be cut to help safeguard farmland

   • 19 October 2014
   • Press release

10. RPA unveils ‘top tips’ as more customers invited to use new online service

    • 17 October 2014
    • News story

11. Reminder to smallholders about minimum claim size

    • 16 October 2014
    • Press release

12. RPA reminds farmers of important entitlements deadline

    • 8 October 2014
    • Press release

13. CAP Reform: Dual use will continue to be allowed in 2015

    • 26 September 2014
    • Press release

14. RPA unveils ‘extra help’ to get farmers online for BPS

    • 22 September 2014
    • Press release

15. Smallholders urged to plan for important CAP changes

    • 3 September 2014
    • Press release

16. New details on CAP implementation announced

    • 14 August 2014
    • Press release

17. Common Agricultural Policy reform: implementation in England

    • 17 June 2014
    • Consultation outcome

18. Strategic Environmental Assessment of the proposed new Rural Development Programme in England

    • 12 June 2014
    • Consultation outcome

19. Rural Development Programme for England: outline of new programme

    • 10 June 2014
    • Policy paper

20. CAP greening criteria announced

    • 10 June 2014
    • Press release

21. CAP boost for moorland

    • 25 April 2014
    • News story

22. Common Agricultural Policy reform countdown timeline

    • 14 April 2014
    • Policy paper

23. New environmental scheme for farmers to prioritise biodiversity

    • 26 February 2014
    • Press release

24. Implementation of CAP announced

    • 19 December 2013
    • Press release

25. CAP reform in England: Status report on the new Rural Development Programme

    • 19 August 2013
    • Policy paper

26. CAP reform in England: Status report on direct payments

    • 19 August 2013
    • Policy paper

Single Payment Scheme (2014)

This publication includes the leaflet ‘CAP reform – what you need to know now’, intended for current scheme participants. All claimants of the Single Payment Scheme in 2014 should read the SPS handbook and must follow the scheme rules for the whole year.

1. Single Payment Scheme: guidance for 2014

   • 3 March 2014
   • Statutory guidance

• Published: 24 February 2014
• Updated: 24 February 2015

+ full page history

• 24 February 2015 11:04am: Added section on Basic Payment Scheme guidance.
• 23 February 2015 12:43pm: Added link to CAP Reform: February 2015 update
• 17 February 2015 5:09pm: Added new link to Countryside Stewardship: woodland capital grants 2015
• 21 January 2015 5:47pm: Updated information about online applications and payments and link to how to register.
• 19 January 2015 10:33am: Added link to RPA's 16 January press release and updated online payments links.
• 19 December 2014 10:54am: Added link to the new leaflet "CAP Reform: December 2014 update"
• 5 December 2014 5:27pm: Added link to new cross compliance guidance for 2015.
• 25 November 2014 12:41pm: Added "Introduction to Countryside Stewardship" leaflet.
• 28 October 2014 1:01pm: October 2014 leaflet added.
• 21 October 2014 10:04am: Added link to CAP Reform blog about GOV.UK Verify.
• 19 October 2014 9:30am: Added link to 19 October press release on subsidies for solar farms
• 16 October 2014 12:00pm: Added link to RPA's press release, 16 October 2014: Reminder to smallholders about minimum claim size.
• 8 October 2014 4:14pm: Added link to RPA's 8 October press release - 'RPA reminds farmers of important entitlements deadline'
• 30 September 2014 12:12pm: Information added about online applications and payments
• 26 September 2014 5:39pm: Added link to RPA's press release, 26 September on dual use in 2015.
• 23 September 2014 12:11pm: Added link to RPA's 22 September news article on extra help to get farmers online for BPS.
• 17 September 2014 9:30am: Re-organised to make it easier to find specific guidance for those who may be affected by double-funding.
• 3 September 2014 3:38pm: Added a link to RPA's 3 September press release regarding smallholders
• 14 August 2014 12:15am: Added links to publications on 14 August 2014: leaflet and press release.
• 7 August 2014 5:29pm: Routine update to reflect Rural Payments Agency and RDPE network information now on GOV.UK.
• 20 June 2014 5:54pm: Removed some surplus text and re-organised a few of the key documents to simplify the presentation.
• 10 June 2014 1:09pm: Added CAP greening criteria announced press release to collection.
• 10 June 2014 10:05am: Updated greening and RDPE information added.
• 9 June 2014 2:18pm: Added a link to 'Greening - work out what it means for you'.
• 8 May 2014 11:49am: Added a link to the 'government decision on the moorland rate' document.
• 2 May 2014 10:16am: Added a link to the CAP reform blog.
• 25 April 2014 1:12pm: Added a link to the latest news item on payment rates for moorland farmers.
• 14 April 2014 1:02pm: CAP Reform leaflet added
• 8 April 2014 12:57pm: Link to RDPE Network information added.
• 26 February 2014 11:56am: Added latest press release: New environmental scheme for farmers to prioritise biodiversity
• 26 February 2014 9:42am: Added links to policy updates, timeline, policy documents and guidance.
• 24 February 2014 10:47am: First published.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• From: Forestry Commission
• From: Natural England
• From: Rural Payments Agency