Rural Development Programme for England compliance monitoring inspection
Information for project owners about inspections the Rural Payments Agency carries out on projects funded by the programme.
Applies to England
Who gets inspected
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) selects sites to be inspected based on risk criteria. New applicants get a score which is calculated as part of the application process. Farms have to score over a certain amount to qualify for funding. Farms which only just qualify for funding are more likely to be inspected.
What gets inspected
RPA inspectors check projects funded by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and any infrastructure or machinery purchased as part of these projects. They also check financial and other records.
Inspections cover multi-year management agreements in agri-environmental schemes and grant schemes for particular (often capital) investment.
Time and length
You’ll get up to 14 days’ notice of an inspection. Inspections usually take 1 to 4 hours.
What happens next
RPA sends an inspection report to Natural England.
RPA may take action, for example you may have payments withheld if you have not taken agreed management measures.