Rural Payments and Services

Farmers and crofters who experienced a reduction and/or penalties to their 2017, 2018 or 2019 claim for the Basic Payment Scheme, Greening, Young Farmer or Less Favoured Area Support scheme will receive a letter from the Scottish Government, explaining why those reductions or exclusions were made.

The letters will begin to arrive on Tuesday 24th of January and are issued on a ‘per year’ basis, on three consecutive days next week, [AB1] starting with 2017.

Customers who usually receive notifications by email could receive up to three notifications next week. Those who receive notifications by post could get three separate letters in due course.

If customers have not received a letter by the 13th of February it’s likely there was no scheme penalty applied, or it contains a scheme penalty where the monetary amount is less than £100, or it contains a scheme reduction where the monetary amount is less than £100. Those customers can request a letter by contacting their local area office between the 13th of February and 12th of June.

This approach will ensure that all customers have an opportunity for queries to be answered by Scottish Government staff, and have the opportunity to submit an appeal if necessary.

Customers with no reductions will not receive the Reductions & Exclusions letter.

These letters notify deductions already made, customers will not be subject to any further reductions. The letters simply provide a breakdown of why a reduction or exclusion was made in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Further guidance on reductions and penalties

Background information

How letters are issued depends on the customers nominated communication method. Email customers will receive an email notification telling them they have been sent a new communication to their communication log, which can be accessed by logging into their RP&S account. Letter customers will receive their letter by post.

Rural Payments Inspections Divison (RPID) would welcome and encourage customers, or their representatives, to contact their local Area Office to discuss any reductions or exclusions detailed in the R&E letter, that is thought to be incorrect, to allow RPID officials the opportunity to explain the detail and negate the requirement for any customer to use the appeal process.

Should customers choose to appeal, they have 60 days from the date of the decision letter to raise an appeal request. For Cross Compliance the decision letter is the Inspection Findings Report which was issued following either the cross compliance or livestock inspection. When 60 day application period has already passed customers can no longer submit an appeal.

Contact your local area office