Rural Payments and Services

Single Application Forms (SAF) can be accepted up to 25 calendar days after the extended closing date of 15 June 2015 - by midnight on 10 July 2015. EC regulations state that SAFs received by the Scottish Government more than 25 calendar days late - on or after 11 July 2015 - must be rejected. This will apply to all schemes claimed on the SAF.

Except in cases of force majeure or exceptional circumstance, if customers submit their SAF after the 15 June deadline, all their scheme payments on that SAF, will be reduced by 1% working day for each day late up until 10 July, after which they will be rejected.

Allocation of Entitlement (AfE) applications, including route one applications via the SAF, can be accepted up to 25 calendar days after the closing date of 15 June 2015 - by midnight on 10 July 2015. EC regulations state that Allocation of Entitlement received by the Scottish Government more than 25 calendar days late - on or after 11 July 2015 - must be rejected. This will apply to all categories applied for on the application.

Except in cases of force majeure or exceptional circumstance, if an AfE application is submitted after the 15 June deadline, the Basic Payment Scheme payment will be reduced by 3% per working day for each day late up until 10 July. Applications received after this period will be rejected.

A late SAF will result in scheme payments being reduced by 1% per working day late during the 25 calendar day period. And, if the SAF includes an AfE application an additional 3% per working day late penalty will be applied to the Basic Payment Scheme payments (but not Greening or Young Farmer Payments).

- AECS - 30 June

- SAF and Allocation of Entitlement - 10 July

The late submission deadline rules outlined above for SAF and AfE also apply to the receipt of any documentary evidence which is required to be submitted in support of the Single Application Form and/or Allocation of Entitlement application. This means any evidence must be submitted by 10 July 2015.

Evidence received between 15 June and 10 July will be accepted but may attract a late submission penalty. Evidence received after 10 July 2015 will not be accepted and the application may be rejected.

Allocation of Entitlement allocation is any application under the four routes available:

- Route one - automatic allocation (eligible to receive direct payments in 2013)

- Route two - activity in 2013

- Route three - national reserve

- Route four - private contract clause

Below is a list of the system improvement made during the last maintenance window. We understand that all of the improvements below were addressed, but if you continue to have problems with any of them then please contact your local area office.

SAF improvements

- AfE Acknowledgement Letters - the system was not generating acknowledgement letters for some customers who had submitted an application for entitlements

AECS/FGS improvements

- AECS - Error message for rotational options when the first claim year is not the highest claim year - When the area associated with rotational options was not within the tolerances set for years two to five, an error message was being displayed which indicated the wrong claim year

- Added Land Validation Errors – A previous system update to allow applicants/agents to submit applications with LPIDs added using the 'Added land' function did not work as planned. We have put in a further fix that will allow any applicants that were unable to submit by 12 June to resume their application and submit by close of play 22 June. Please contact your area office by e-mail or letter to advise that the 'added land' bug prevented you from submitting your application. Only customers who were unable to submit by 12 June specifically because of this issue can now submit by 22 June

Please note that due to routine maintenance you may not be able to view the contents of your communication log from 8 pm Saturday 20 June through to 12 noon on Sunday 21 June 2015.