Rural Payments and Services

Below are the latest changes to the guidance on Rural Payments and Services. If you would like to see the full list of guidance updates click here .

> Regionalisation of payments (20 May 2015) - The Payment Region allocation review request form has been added. Regionalisation of payments.

> Retention of landscape features (20 May 2015) - We've added a definition of 'pond' and 'trees' to this guidance. Retention of landscape features (GAEC 7).

> Agri-Environment Climate Scheme: Heath Management option (19 May 2015) - We've made a correction to the grazing conditions for lowland heath between 1 September and 31 October.
Heath Management.

> Agri-Environment Climate Scheme: Wetland Management option (19 May 2015) - We've amended the cutting approval conditions within the management requirements. Wetland Management.

> Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme / Small Farms Grant Scheme / New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme (18 May 2015) - Under the Appeals' sections, we've corrected the number of days you have to submit a written request for an application review. This is 60 days and not 30 days, as was previously stated. Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme. Small Farms Grant Scheme. New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme.

> Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (18 May 2015) - We've amended the Supporting guidance for Bracken Management. Supporting guidance for Bracken Management.

> Basic Payment Scheme (18 May 2015) - We've updated the information on breeding bird, mammal, butterfly and plant health surveys. Eligible hectares and minimum agricultural activity.

Following clarity from the European Commission, the definition of who can apply for the Young Farmer’s payment has changed.

New definition:

This scheme is open to young farmers or young crofters setting up as head of the holding of a new or existing farming business for the first time and who are between the age of 16 years and under 41 years of age at the point of application.

The application must be submitted no more than 18 months after the 'setting up' process has commenced. This means the date you took your first action to set up as a head of holding.

Previously this was only open to young farmers or crofters setting up their business for the first time. This means that the scheme should now be open to more people.

Please see the full guidance for more information.

The following issues should have been resolved because we made some improvements to the Rural Payments and Services system over the weekend. If you experience any difficulties with any of these, please contact your local area office – or, for some of the improvements, please email us using the email address shown below.

SAF improvements

> You should now be able to look at your land parcels without coming across an error (action process).

> If you have no livestock of your own but you are allowing others to graze your land, you can now submit your SAF. You are now able to provide a justification and submit your application.

> If you have received an email telling you we’ve added information to your communications log you should now be able to see what we’ve added. Please email RPID.Communications@scotland.gsi.gov.uk if you have received an email telling you to look in your communications log and it hasn’t been updated.

> Land Let Out is now compatible with all schemes, this means it should reduce the errors you receive. The system previously flagged Land Let Out (LLO) as an ineligible land use, making it compatible with Rural Priorities options. Please note – It now allows LFASS to be ticked and BPS claimed against Land Let Out, however BPS and LFASS are ineligible against the LLO land use so you should untick this box before proceeding.

> Land parcel IDs are no longer case sensitive and the system will now accept all valid land parcel IDs.

> The following changes have been made to the way rounding is handled in land parcel calculations:
* The land parcel gross area will be rounded to two decimal places before applying any calculation.
* Multiple ineligible features within the same land parcel have been added before two decimal place rounding occurs.

General improvements

> We have fixed some broken links on the website that were causing ‘page not found errors’

> You will now get an email if you have forgotten your password to reset it. Please email RPID.Communications@scotland.gsi.gov.uk if you’re still having problems with this.