The Government has published a consultation on changes to the Basic Payment Scheme, which is designed to support farmers through the agricultural transition period from now until 2027. It will be open for 12 weeks and focuses on two key areas:
- Lump sum exit scheme - this would offer farmers a lump sum payment to help them do this in a planned and managed way. The consultation seeks views on who should be eligible for these payments and how they should be calculated
- Delinked payments - the Government plans to phase out Direct Payments (currently made through the Basic Payments Scheme) over a seven-year transition period in order to move to a fairer system. The consultation includes plans to separate the payment from the amount of land farmed, from 2024. The consultation seeks views on how the 'delinked' payments will be calculated
You can submit your views on the above until 11 August 2021, and I understand that a full report on the responses to the consultation will then be published later in the year. Click here for more details.
