Guidance

Claim your Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2024 grant payment

Updated 26 April 2024

Applies to England

If you’ve accepted one or more grant funding agreements (GFAs) under the FETF 2024, you should follow this guidance to claim your payment. 

You’ll need to submit a separate claim using the claim form included in each GFA, after you’ve paid for and received the items in your GFA. All the items in your GFA should be included in your claim. You can only submit one claim per grant.    

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will pay each grant in separate payments. 

The RPA will only pay for:

• eligible items in your GFA, which may not be all the items included in your application
• items that you’ve bought after you receive your GFA (unless you’re using a refundable deposit)

Change your GFA   

If you want to change an item in your GFA before you submit your claim, for example to a similar item or higher specification, you must contact the RPA.  

The RPA cannot consider requests to add additional items.

If an item is not available  

If you want to change or remove an item because it’s not available, your application must still be within the minimum and maximum grant values:

• between £1,000 and £50,000 for the Productivity grant
• between £1,000 and £50,000 for the Slurry grant
• between £1,000 and £25,000 for the Animal Health and Welfare grant

The revised total score must still be more than the minimum threshold. 

 Email FETFClaims@rpa.gov.uk before the claim deadline and include: 

• the make, model and quantity of each item  
• email evidence to show which suppliers you’ve tried to source the item from

How to claim

Follow these steps to submit your claim for payment. The RPA will confirm how long you have to buy your items and submit your claim in your GFA. 

1. Pay for the items in full – contact the RPA if you cannot buy an item that’s in your GFA. 

2. Keep all invoices and bank statements for the items you buy.  

3. When you receive the items, complete the claim form in your GFA and email it to FETFClaims@rpa.gov.uk with supporting evidence (you must submit a separate claim and evidence for each grant you’re applying for).  

You’ll receive email confirmation that your claim has been submitted. If you do not receive an email acknowledging receipt of your claim, contact the RPA for help.

Get help 

Contact the RPA if you need help: 

• submitting your claim or supporting evidence 
• correcting a mistake after you’ve submitted your claim 

Email FETFClaims@rpa.gov.uk or call the RPA helpline on 03000 200 301 and select the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund option.  

Site visits 

After you submit a claim, your business may be chosen for a site visit. You may be visited before the RPA make the grant payment or up to 5 years after payment. 

The details you provide when you submit your application and items you buy may be checked during the visit. These details are included in your GFA.

Submit evidence with your claim  

Submit the following evidence to FETFClaims@rpa.gov.uk with a completed claim form for each grant you’ve applied for: 

• copies of invoices for items you buy  
• copies of your business bank, building society or business credit card statements which shows the items have been paid in full 
• photographic evidence of each item  

The RPA may reject all or part of your claim if you do not submit the correct evidence. 

The RPA cannot accept evidence sent using secure data transfer sites on the internet (for example OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive or Apple iCloud).

Invoices  

Invoices must: 

• show the cost of each item   
• include the manufacturer’s make and model 
• quote the relevant FETF 2024 item code from the item and specification list  
• be addressed to the same individual or business as your GFA 
• show the supplier’s name, address, VAT number and date  
• be marked by your supplier to show you used a refundable deposit to buy the item, if applicable  

If the invoice includes items that are not in your GFA, you must clearly show which items you’re claiming for.  

If you have a supplier account and you’ve used it to pay more than one invoice, you’ll need to provide copies of all the invoices included in the payment.

Payment evidence 

Use your business account or credit card (if you can show it has been paid by your business account) to pay for items.  

You cannot use the following to pay for grant-funded items:  

• cash or your personal account  
• lease or hire purchase 
• part exchange     

You must submit copies of your bank, building society or credit card statement so the RPA can check invoices have been paid in full by the business named in the GFA.   

If the transaction amount on your bank statement does not match the invoice amount, you’ll need to provide either: 

• copies of invoices for the other items you’ve bought  
• a copy of the monthly statement showing the other items you’ve bought, if you have a supplier account 

You can use screenshots from an online account showing payment details and bank or building society logos, or a certified report printed from a banking system. 

Statements must show the: 

• bank or building society’s name and logo 
• account holder name in full 
• account number 
• transaction date 
• transaction type (including payee reference or cheque number) 
• transaction amount 

You can remove personal information that is not needed from the statements.   

If you pay for an item through a Buying Group, provide evidence to show: 

• you’ve paid the Buying Group  
• the Buying Group has paid the supplier 

This can either be an email from the supplier or a supplier statement.

Photographs  

You must submit photographs as JPEG files or images in Word documents.  Photographs must: 

• show the item on site without packaging  
• be clear, in focus, in colour and with no other objects in front of the item 
• be bigger than 600 x 400 pixels 
• include the make, model and serial number (use the manufacturer’s plate or operating manual) – you only need to do this if it’s required in the item specification 
• clearly show each part of system if it’s made up of multiple parts (for example, handling systems) 

Photographs must not identify individuals, including employees. 

The RPA may request more photographs as evidence to show the item meets the specification and is on site.  

Acceptable photograph examples  

These images are examples of acceptable photographs because they have been taken at the right distance to show the whole item.  

Acceptable photograph of a mobile cattle handling system.

Acceptable photograph of a rotating cow brush.

Unacceptable photograph examples  

This image is an example of an unacceptable photograph because the whole item is not shown.  

Unacceptable photograph of a mobile cattle handling system.

These images are examples of unacceptable photographs because they have been taken too close to the item.

Unacceptable photograph of a mobile cattle handling system.

Unacceptable photograph of a rotating cow brush.

Withdraw a claim  

You can withdraw your claim at any time. 

If you want to withdraw your claim, email FETFClaims@rpa.gov.uk as soon as possible with your reasons.

Include your FETF reference number. Your GFA will be withdrawn.

When you’ll be paid

The RPA will aim to pay your claim within 30 working days of receiving it or within the published timescales for the claim submission window.  

If you do not submit the correct evidence, it may take longer to pay you.  

The RPA will write to you if they are unable to pay your claim in part or in full, and tell you why. If you are unhappy with this decision, you should follow the RPA complaints procedure.  

Payments are made to the bank or building society account attached to your business’ main Single Business Identifier (SBI) number in the Rural Payments service.  

The RPA will send you a remittance advice when you’ve been paid.

After you’ve been paid   

The RPA may recover some, or all of your payment if you do not meet the following conditions for 5 years from the date your claim was paid. 

You must:  

• keep grant funded items at the location stated in your GFA  
• keep items operational and in good repair  
• use items for the same purpose as set out in your application  

If there’s a change in circumstances which could affect your rights and obligations under the GFA, you must tell RPA as soon as possible.  

You must keep paperwork associated with your GFA for 7 years from the date your claim was paid.