England BPS stays at 2021 rate but with 20-40% cut to total sum

England’s Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) rates for 2022 will remain at 2021 levels in all three land classification areas, but cuts of 20-40% of the total sum will apply this year.

The rate for non-severely disadvantaged area (non-SDA) payments will be £233.30/ha, while that for SDA regions other than moorland is set at £231.60/ha and for moorland SDA at £64/ha.

Farmers have already received 50% of their entitlement; those payments were made in July to help businesses struggling with cashflow amid soaring inflation and exceptionally dry growing conditions.

See also: Woodland Creation Offer: What farmers need to know

The balancing 50% will be paid in December.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) published the BPS entitlement rates on Tuesday 20 September, also announcing that the two-stage annual payments would remain for the entire agricultural transition period.

However, while there would be no change to the payment rates in 2022, claimants will see a minimum cut in their total receipts of 20% this year as England moves through a seven-year agricultural transition period to a new support structure by 2027.

Steeper reductions will be applied to BPS receipts above certain thresholds, with up to 40% taken from payments of more than £150,000 this year.

Defra’s online calculator offers an easy way for claimants to see how this year’s sum will be affected by the cuts.

Some of the lost cash can be recouped through the Sustainable Farming Incentive, said Defra.

This is open to farmers who claim BPS only, or who claim BPS but have land in Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship.

Further one-off grants are also available through the Farming Investment Fund, Farming Innovation Programme and the Future Farming Resilience Fund.