Single Payment Entitlement
Having spent so much time and effort submitting SP5 application forms and hopefully securing the maximum Single Payment Allocation, there are a number of issues which all producers need to address if they are to retain these entitlements. These include the following: |
• Cross Compliance – an obvious one perhaps but such things as maximum hedge widths, up to date livestock movement records and crop records are critical to a successful single payment application.
• Applications to the National Reserve – all producers who applied to the National Reserve as part of their SP5 application will be required to complete a new RPA SP5E form with supporting evidence.
The deadline for submission of this form is extremely short and therefore required details such as proof of land purchase, leases, or business expansion plans need to be obtained in good time to avoid late submissions.
• Entitlement Transfers – this will be a complicated subject, particularly this year. If a producer proposes to buy or sell land or lease land in or out in the coming season, they must consider the rules of transfer of associated payment entitlements. These include: a. The need to give the RPA notice of the transfer at least 6 weeks before the intended transfer. b. The need for both parties to be ‘farming’ at the time of the transfer. |
c. The need for temporary transfers with a lease to be undertaken for the same period exactly as the lease itself.
Clearly, the fact that nobody knows yet what their entitlements are makes this subject particularly fraught this year.
• Errors – there will unfortunately have been errors made within some producers’ SP5 applications. The RPA’s interpretation of these errors (they may indeed consider some correct applications to contain errors) will need to be carefully considered in light of the actual legislation and in some cases, suitable appeals submitted.
If you would like to discuss any of the above in any more detail then telephone our Helpline on 0800 1075522 or email to Richard Sanders at richard.sanders@fishergerman.co.uk
- Ashby de la Zouch
- 01530 412821
- Banbury
- 01295 271 555
- Knutsford
- 01565 757970
- Market Harborough
- 01858 410 200
- Newark
- 01949 851815
- Southampton
- 02380 883150
- St Helens
- 01744 451145
- Stafford
- 01785 220 044
- Worcester
- 01905 453275
