Introduction
This guidance tells you how to apply for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in England in 2021 using a paper application form (BP5).
Everything you need to know about BPS 2021– including the scheme rules, cross compliance guidance and information about how to apply online - will be on the BPS 2021 guidance page on GOV.UK
If you have received a paper form, but would rather apply online it’s not too late, call 03000 200 301 and we will activate your online form. Read How to claim BPS online in 2021 to find out more.
The deadline for us to receive your application is midnight on 17 May 2021. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible and well in advance of the deadline. Read the ‘Key dates for BPS 2021’ for more information.
You can submit a late application after 17 May 2021, but penalties will apply. We cannot accept any applications after midnight on 11 June 2021, unless it is accepted due to force majeure.
For more information about the ‘key dates’ of the scheme - including how to change an application after the deadline – read the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’.
The BP5 application form we have sent you is already filled in with the information we hold about your land and entitlements. It is your responsibility to check it to make sure it is still correct.
The ‘How to apply’ section tells you how to do this. Make sure you tell us about the land use in each parcel. All the land use codes you need to use are in annexes A and B.
You might need to tell us more about your land and/or transfer land and/or entitlements before you make your application. The quickest way to do this is using the Rural Payments service but there are some land changes that you’ll have to use an RLE1 form to tell us about this year. You can find more information about this in the ‘Changes to land parcels’ section.
Remember to declare all the agricultural land and any non-agricultural land in agri environment schemes such as CS and ES on your holding when you apply. You can then apply for BPS on as much of your declared eligible land as you want to - you do not need to match the area you apply for with the number of entitlements you have.
There is no penalty if the eligible area you apply for is greater than the number of entitlements you actually have. We will work out your payment based on the lower figure. However, you should not declare more eligible land than you have at your disposal.
Remember, it is your responsibility to make sure that:
- you meet the scheme rules
- all the eligible land included in your application is correct, to the best of your knowledge
- you hold the correct number of entitlements. Read the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’ for more information about entitlements.
Outstanding BPS queries from previous years
If you think there is a difference between the amount you were expecting to be paid for BPS 2020, or previous BPS years, and what you have received, or that your entitlements balance is incorrect, we recommend you:
- fill in a BPS payment query form and return it to us by post or email (put ‘BPS payment query form’ as the subject header). If you have already sent us a query form for 2020 or a previous scheme year, you do not need to send us another one.
- carry on with your 2021 application, showing your land as at 17 May 2021. You should use the code of the main crop you intend to grow in the year even if it will be late sown, or declare it as fallow if you do not intent to sow a main crop – read the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’ for more information.
If you were inspected in 2020 and are not sure what to declare on your 2021 application
You need to make sure you take the results of your inspection into account when you apply – for example, by updating your land use and making sure mapping changes have been made (or that we have received an RLE1 form requesting them). You can do this by checking your digital maps in the Rural Payments service -– see Annex A for more information.
If you have not had your inspection results yet, you can still apply, showing your land as at 17 May 2021. You should use the code of the main crop you intend to grow in the year even if it will be late sown, or declare it as fallow if you do not intent to sow a main crop – read the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’ for more information.
If you receive a 2020 inspection report after you have submitted your 2021 application, you can make some changes to your application up to midnight on 11 June 2021 without getting a penalty (as long as you submitted your application by midnight on 17 May 2021). Some changes can also be made after 11 June 2021.
However, you cannot make these changes if:
- you have already been told about any non-compliance affecting the agricultural parcel you want to amend
- an inspection has revealed a non-compliance affecting the agricultural parcel you want to amend
- you have received advance warning of an inspection.
Read the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’ for more information.
If you are unsure about whether you can make the change, you should request it and we will then decide if it is allowed.
If you have not received a BPS payment for a previous year and/or claim statement yet and are not sure what to claim
You need to make your application for 2021 showing your land as at 17 May 2021. You should use the code of the main crop you intend to grow in the year even if it will be late sown, or declare it as fallow if you do not intent to sow a main crop – read the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’ for more information.
If you receive a payment and claim statement after you have submitted your 2021 application, you can make some changes to your application up to midnight on 11 June without getting a penalty (as long as you submitted your application by midnight on 17 May 2021). Some changes can also be made after 11 June 2021.
However, you cannot make these changes if:
- you have already been told about any non-compliance affecting the agricultural parcel you want to amend
- an inspection has revealed a non-compliance affecting the agricultural parcel you want to amend
- you have received advance warning of an inspection
Read the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’ for more information.
If you need help with your application, call us on 03000 200 301.
You will also need to call us if you plan to apply using the online Rural Payments service, because we will need to activate your online application.
All the guidance and information you need is on the BPS 2021 guidance page including:
- the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’
- the list of land use codes for BPS 2021 at annexes A and B
- the form to apply for entitlements under the ‘Young and new farmer’ rules or to prove you are eligible for the young farmer payment if you are applying for the first time, or you have previously applied but your business structure has since changed
- the cross compliance rules for 2021
- Rural Land and Entitlements (RLE1) form and guidance.
Remember, it is your responsibility to make sure that:
- you meet the scheme rules
- all the eligible land included in your application is correct, to the best of your knowledge
- you hold the correct number of entitlements. Refer to the ‘Basic Payment Scheme: rules for 2021’ for more information about entitlements.
If you hold an Environmental Stewardship or Countryside Stewardship agreement or an agreement with the Forestry Commission, you can also refer to the separate guidance on applying for payment on land in BPS and in an agri-environment or woodland agreement.
You can find guidance for the Forestry Commission schemes and BPS in the Forestry Commission’s ‘Guidance on woodland grant schemes and BPS: operations note 42’ and guidance for BPS and Agri-environment schemes.