Collection

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Reform

Find out about the new CAP schemes in England, including Basic Payment and Rural Development Programme for England schemes.

Published 24 February 2014
Last updated 17 June 2015 — see all updates

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

This collection brings together information on how the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) affects farmers. CAP is a system of agricultural subsidies and programmes covering farming, environmental measures and rural development. New schemes are being implemented in 2015.

Current scheme guidance including Basic Payment and Rural Development Programme for England schemes is available under rural grants and payments. We have also listed general information together with guidance on this page.

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. How to apply for the Basic Payment Scheme in 2015

   • 13 July 2015
   • Statutory guidance

2. Basic Payment Scheme: guidance for 2015

   • 10 November 2016
   • Statutory guidance

3. RLE1 form and guidance

   • 28 March 2018
   • Statutory guidance

Rural Development Programme schemes

Under the Rural Development Programme for England a number of schemes (including those under Countryside Stewardship) will become available during 2015. Links to current guidance are listed below or see rural grants and payments.

We’ve now published more details about Countryside Stewardship - how the scheme works, what current holders of agreements under previous schemes can apply for and the applications that can be made.

1. Guide to Countryside Stewardship facilitation fund

   • 31 August 2017
   • Guidance

2. Rural Development Programme for England: LEADER funding

   • 12 October 2017
   • Guidance

3. Guide to Countryside Stewardship: water capital grants 2015

   • 2 March 2015
   • Guidance

4. Guide to Countryside Stewardship: woodland capital grants 2015

   • 17 February 2015
   • Guidance

5. How to get paid under an agreement: Environmental Stewardship

   • 12 June 2018
   • Guidance

Guidance about the new CAP schemes

Specific guidance on the new schemes is listed in other sections below. These 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 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

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

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

1. 84,500 meet BPS deadline

   • 17 June 2015
   • News story

2. RPA gears up to receive last minute BPS claims

   • 12 June 2015
   • News story

3. Tips for Basic Payment Scheme application forms

   • 11 June 2015
   • News story

4. Drop-in centre opening hours extended ahead of BPS deadline

   • 8 June 2015
   • News story

5. More than half of BPS 2015 claims submitted as deadline approaches

   • 2 June 2015
   • News story

6. BPS 2015 - 3 weeks to apply

   • 26 May 2015
   • News story

7. BPS 2015 update

   • 19 May 2015
   • Press release

8. First 12,000 BPS applications received

   • 12 May 2015
   • News story

9. Latest information on applying for Basic Payment Scheme 2015

   • 6 May 2015
   • News story

10. Countdown to BPS deadline

    • 27 April 2015
    • News story

11. Farmers get everything they need to start 2015 BPS claim

    • 21 April 2015
    • News story

12. It’s time to apply for 2015 Basic Payment Scheme

    • 14 April 2015
    • News story

13. RPA announces more detail on how to claim for BPS 2015

    • 8 April 2015
    • Press release

14. RPA publishes new Basic Payment Scheme forms online

    • 24 March 2015
    • News story

15. Rural Payments Agency announces new approach to help farmers meet Basic Payment Scheme deadline

    • 19 March 2015
    • Press release

16. Common land payments: policy change

    • 19 May 2015
    • Policy paper

17. RPA publishes guide to Basic Payment Scheme 2015

    • 24 February 2015
    • Press release

18. RDPE programme document 2014 to 2020

    • 22 March 2018
    • Policy paper

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

    • 3 February 2015
    • Press release

20. Thousands get ready to claim Basic Payment Scheme 2015

    • 21 January 2015
    • Press release

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

    • 16 January 2015
    • Press release

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

    • 19 December 2014
    • Press release

23. New 2015 cross compliance guidance available online now

    • 5 December 2014
    • Press release

24. More details released on CAP Reform in England

    • 28 October 2014
    • Press release

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

    • 19 October 2014
    • Press release

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

    • 17 October 2014
    • News story

27. Reminder to smallholders about minimum claim size

    • 16 October 2014
    • Press release

28. RPA reminds farmers of important entitlements deadline

    • 8 October 2014
    • Press release

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

    • 26 September 2014
    • Press release

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

    • 22 September 2014
    • Press release

31. Smallholders urged to plan for important CAP changes

    • 3 September 2014
    • Press release

32. New details on CAP implementation announced

    • 14 August 2014
    • Press release

33. Common Agricultural Policy reform: implementation in England

    • 17 June 2014
    • Consultation outcome

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

    • 12 June 2014
    • Consultation outcome

35. CAP greening criteria announced

    • 10 June 2014
    • Press release

36. CAP boost for moorland

    • 25 April 2014
    • News story

37. Common Agricultural Policy reform countdown timeline

    • 14 April 2014
    • Policy paper

38. New environmental scheme for farmers to prioritise biodiversity

    • 26 February 2014
    • Press release

39. Implementation of CAP announced

    • 19 December 2013
    • Press release

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

    • 19 August 2013
    • Policy paper

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

    • 19 August 2013
    • Policy paper

Published 24 February 2014
Last updated 17 June 2015 + show all updates

1. 17 June 2015 Added link to latest news story from the Rural Payments Agency.
2. 13 June 2015 Added link to 12 June RPA news story.
3. 11 June 2015 Added links to recent RPA news releases.
4. 2 June 2015 Added a link to RPA's 2 June news story, "More than half of BPS 2015 claims submitted as deadline approaches"
5. 27 May 2015 Added links to recent RPA press releases.
6. 6 May 2015 Added link to RPA's news story "latest information on applying for Basic Payment Scheme 2015"
7. 27 April 2015 Added link to Rural Payments Agency news story "countdown to BPS deadline".
8. 22 April 2015 Added link to RPA news story, "Farmers get everything they need to start 2015 BPS claim"
9. 14 April 2015 Added link to RPA news story "It’s time to apply for 2015 Basic Payment Scheme"
10. 8 April 2015 Added link to news release, RPA announces more detail on how to claim for BPS 2015.
11. 2 April 2015 Added further information about Countryside Stewardship.
12. 30 March 2015 Updated information on registering for rural payments.
13. 24 March 2015 Added link to latest news release, "RPA publishes new Basic Payment Scheme forms online".
14. 23 March 2015 Added a link to growth scheme guidance.
15. 23 March 2015 Added links to Basic Payment Scheme forms for 2015.
16. 17 March 2015 Added link to new guide on Countryside Stewardship: facilitation fund.
17. 16 March 2015 Added a link in the "policy" section to information on common land payments.
18. 9 March 2015 Added a link to Countryside Productivity Scheme: EIP-Agri grant information.
19. 9 March 2015 Added link to Countryside Productivity Scheme information.
20. 4 March 2015 Added a link to guidance on Rural Development Programme for England LEADER funding.
21. 2 March 2015 Added new link to Countryside Stewardship: water capital grants 2015.
22. 24 February 2015 Added section on Basic Payment Scheme guidance.
23. 23 February 2015 Added link to CAP Reform: February 2015 update
24. 17 February 2015 Added new link to Countryside Stewardship: woodland capital grants 2015
25. 21 January 2015 Updated information about online applications and payments and link to how to register.
26. 19 January 2015 Added link to RPA's 16 January press release and updated online payments links.
27. 19 December 2014 Added link to the new leaflet "CAP Reform: December 2014 update"
28. 5 December 2014 Added link to new cross compliance guidance for 2015.
29. 25 November 2014 Added "Introduction to Countryside Stewardship" leaflet.
30. 28 October 2014 October 2014 leaflet added.
31. 21 October 2014 Added link to CAP Reform blog about GOV.UK Verify.
32. 19 October 2014 Added link to 19 October press release on subsidies for solar farms
33. 16 October 2014 Added link to RPA's press release, 16 October 2014: Reminder to smallholders about minimum claim size.
34. 8 October 2014 Added link to RPA's 8 October press release - 'RPA reminds farmers of important entitlements deadline'
35. 30 September 2014 Information added about online applications and payments
36. 26 September 2014 Added link to RPA's press release, 26 September on dual use in 2015.
37. 23 September 2014 Added link to RPA's 22 September news article on extra help to get farmers online for BPS.
38. 17 September 2014 Re-organised to make it easier to find specific guidance for those who may be affected by double-funding.
39. 3 September 2014 Added a link to RPA's 3 September press release regarding smallholders
40. 14 August 2014 Added links to publications on 14 August 2014: leaflet and press release.
41. 7 August 2014 Routine update to reflect Rural Payments Agency and RDPE network information now on GOV.UK.
42. 20 June 2014 Removed some surplus text and re-organised a few of the key documents to simplify the presentation.
43. 10 June 2014 Added CAP greening criteria announced press release to collection.
44. 10 June 2014 Updated greening and RDPE information added.
45. 9 June 2014 Added a link to 'Greening - work out what it means for you'.
46. 8 May 2014 Added a link to the 'government decision on the moorland rate' document.
47. 2 May 2014 Added a link to the CAP reform blog.
48. 25 April 2014 Added a link to the latest news item on payment rates for moorland farmers.
49. 14 April 2014 CAP Reform leaflet added
50. 8 April 2014 Link to RDPE Network information added.
51. 26 February 2014 Added latest press release: New environmental scheme for farmers to prioritise biodiversity
52. 26 February 2014 Added links to policy updates, timeline, policy documents and guidance.
53. 24 February 2014 First published.