BPS & Grants
The land management professionals at Roger Parry & Partners have a detailed working knowledge of available grants and subsidies and the regulatory framework that applies to rural businesses. We are able to provide practical pro-active advice on how these affect a client’s business.
There are a variety of schemes that require expertise and advice, to receive the payments that you are entitled to and ensure that these are correct. The paperwork that is now required for schemes can be complex and time-consuming and the aim of our land experts is to remove the burden of complicated legislation and regulation by offering practical compliance advice. We aim to alert clients to opportunities and also advise clients to achieve a maximum return for their business, taking into consideration their objectives and farming business operations.
We pride ourselves at being at the cutting edge of legal developments and government policy to ensure that our advice will always keep clients well informed. We are expert in the operation and application of the Basic Payment Scheme and how the specifics of legislation affect businesses day-to-day. Our experienced entitlement trading team are able to secure clients the best possible deal.
The Single Payment Scheme came to an end in 2014 and its replacement, the Basic Payment Scheme, was new for 2015 and introduced more complicated rules, such as Greening guidelines. We can help you to ensure your business is meeting all the requirements and maximising your money or if you’re new to the scheme we can help set you up. Contact us if you require assistance with registration, online access or completion of your claim.
Grants
Clients will be advised on entering into these schemes that are complicated and that often have pitfalls. We can advise in a way that takes the client’s objectives into consideration and ensure that a significant benefit is gained from them. We can complete applications forms, review payments, submit claims, liaise with funding bodies, provide advice when looking at funding, monitoring claims, maximising returns and identifying projects.
Below is a list of the rural grants currently available (updated 4th July 2022)
We can also help with:
• Organic Grant Schemes
• Rural Enterprise Grants
• Environmental Grants
• Local Government Grants
• Business Rates Relief Grants
| England | ||
| Basic Payment Scheme | Payments based on hectares of farmed land. Young Farmer top-up also available. Phased out between 2021 to 2027. | Open spring 2022.Deadline 15th May each year |
| Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier | 5 year scheme incorporating annual payments and capital items. Whole or part farm scheme. Revised payments are to be released in the new year. | Open spring 2022 Closes 29th July 2022 Last date to request applications and CSFO approval 31st May 2022 |
| Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier | A more detailed version of Mid Tier. | Closed |
| Countryside Stewardship Capital Grant | Capital payments to increase biodiversity (hedge laying, tree planting and hedge planting), improve water quality (concrete yard renewal, water troughs/bases, fencing out watercourses and livestock tracks) and improve air quality (slurry scrapers). 2 years to complete the works from the agreement date. CSFO approval required for some water items. | Open all year round |
| Sustainable Farming Incentive | One of the schemes under ELMs. 3 year scheme which can be amended every 12 months. 3 standards currently which focus on soils; improved grassland soils, arable and horticultural soils and moorland. Soil sampling must be carried out in the first year and a soil management plan must be created. Payment rates: Arable and Horticultural – Introductory level – £22/ha and Intermediate level – £40/ha Improved Grassland Soils – Introductory level – £28/ha and Intermediate level – £58/ha Moorland – payment rate off £10.30/ha plus an additional payment of £265 per agreement. | Open 30th June |
| Local Nature Recovery | Pay for actions that support local nature recovery and meet local environmental priorities. Encourage collaboration between farmers, helping them work together to improve their local environment. | Pilot in 2022 and launch in 2024 |
| Landscape Recovery | Support landscape and ecosystem recovery through long term projects e.g. restoring wilder landscapes, large-scale tree planting and peatland and saltmarsh restoration. | Pilot in 2022 and launch in 2024 |
| Farming Equipment and Technology Fund | Similar to the CP Small Grant – £2,000 to £25,000 grant funding on a list of eligible items. Available to farmers, contractors and foresters with an SBI. | Open: Now Closed: 7th January 2021 |
| Farming Transformation fund – Water Management Grant | Capital items to improve farm productivity through more efficient use of water for irrigation, and to secure water supplies for crop irrigation by the construction of on-farm reservoirs and the adoption of best practice irrigation application equipment. £35,000 to £500,000 grants funding (40% of the cost). | Closed |
| Farming Innovation Programme | 3 Funds available: – The Industry-led Research and Development Partnerships Fund – The Farming Futures Research and Development Fund (competitions open early 2022) – The Projects to Accelerate Adoption Fund (competitions open later in 2022) | Industry-led Research and Development Partnerships Fund open now for applications |
| Animal Health and Welfare review | Commercial livestock keepers – 50 pigs, 20 sheep or 10 cattle. Lump sum payment to cover vet costs. Vet to provide advice on recommendations and actions that improve animal health and welfare. | Closed |
| New Entrant Support Scheme | Encourage new starters into farming. | Opens in 2022 |
| Lump sum exit scheme | Offer a lump sum in place of any further Basic Payment Scheme payments | Plans to open in 2022 |
| Wales | ||
| Basic Payment Scheme | Payments based on hectares of farmed land. Young Farmer top-up also available. | Open spring Deadline 15th May each year |
| Small Grants – Environment | Capital funding to do works such as hedge laying, hedge coppicing, stoning gateways, guttering and downpipes etc. | Opens 24th August Closes 5th October |
| The Woodland Investment Grant | Jointly funded by Welsh Government and the National Lottery. Financial support to create new woodland and enhance and expand existing woodlands. Grant funding of between £40,000 and £250,000 of up to 100% funding. | Opens 13th June Closes 15th July |
| Small Grant – Yard Coverings | £3,000 to £12,000 grant funding (40% funding based on standard cost). Roofing of livestock feeding/handling areas, manure stores and silage stores. Planning consent and SAB (drainage) approval required to claim. | Opens 27th June Closes 5th August |
| Small Grants – Efficiency | Grants of between £3,000 and £12,000 towards farm equipment. 40% funding. List of eligible items to choose from with a standard cost. Items include livestock handling systems, solar powered fence energisers, weighing systems, EID equipment and arable/grassland equipment. | Closed |
| Nutrient Management Investment Scheme | Grants of £12,000 to £50,000 for items to enhance farm nutrient management and water efficiency, such as covered slurry stores, vacuum tanks, manure stores, GPS systems, manure spreaders, slurry store covers and yard roofing. | Opens 4th July Closes 12th August |
| Growing for the Environment | Funding to establish an unsprayed crop following autumn harvesting of cereals or maize. Minimum area of 1ha of crop established across holding. Soil Test must be undertaken. Maximum grant of £5,000. | Opens 20th June Closes 29th July |
| Horticulture Development Scheme | Available to existing horticultural producers with the aim to develop their business through investment in new equipment, improve efficiency and allow them to enter new markets. The maximum grant awarded is £50,000 and the minimum is £3,000 which provides a 40% contribution towards the investment. Eligible costs include: cultivation equipment, precision seed drills, precision nutrient application equipment, harvesters, storage and transport systems, GPS equipment and polytunnels/glasshouses. | Opens 4th April Closes 27th May |
| Organic Conversion | The scheme is an area based support scheme available to existing agricultural producers across Wales who wish to convert from conventional to organic production. | Opens 18th July Closes 28th August |
