Guidance
Rural Payments Agency key dates 2023 (HTML version)
Updated 17 August 2023
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2023
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Basic Payment Scheme
- 1 January 2023: BPS 2023 scheme year begins
- 14 March 2023: BPS applications open
- 15 May 2023 (midnight): deadline for BPS 2023 applications without penalty (including Young and New Farmer applications). Deadline to transfer entitlements without penalty
- 9 June 2023 (midnight): deadline for late BPS 2023 applications (with penalty) and for making changes without penalty to a BPS application already submitted by midnight on 15 May
- 31 December 2023: BPS 2023 scheme year ends
- from 1 August 2023: RPA makes advance BPS 2023 payments
- 1 December 2023 to 30 June 2024: RPA makes final BPS 2023 payments
Lump Sum Exit Scheme
- throughout 2023 and 2024: RPA makes Lump Sum Exit Scheme payments
- 31 May 2024 (midnight): deadline to return Lump Sum Exit Scheme evidence
Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship claims
- 14 March 2023: CS revenue claim declarations and ES revenue claims open
- 15 May 2023 (midnight): deadline for CS revenue claim declarations and ES revenue claims without reduction. Deadline to transfer entitlements
- 31 August 2023 (midnight): deadline for late CS revenue claim declarations and ES revenue claims (with reduction), and for making changes to a CS revenue claim declaration that was submitted before midnight on 15 May (without reduction)
- 1 December 2023 to 30 June 2024: RPA makes CS and ES 2023 payments
- ES Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) and CS capital claims can be submitted all year
Countryside Stewardship applications
Higher Tier
- 7 February 2023: applications open
- 28 April 2023: deadline for applications
- September 2023 to December 2023: agreement offers are sent out
Mid Tier and Wildlife Offers
- 21 March 2023: applications open
- 15 September 2023: deadline for applications
- September 2023 to December 2023: agreement offers are sent out
Open all year for applications
- Countryside Protection (from 5 January 2023)
- Capital Grants (from 5 January 2023)
- Higher Tier Capital Grants (from 5 January 2023)
- Woodland Tree Health
- Woodland Management Plan