Rural Payments and Services

The Single Application Form is the form you need to fill in if you want to claim payments under the following schemes:

• Basic Payment Scheme (including Greening and Young Farmer payments)
• Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme (Mainland and Islands)
• Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme
• Less Favoured Area Support Scheme
• Agri-Environment Climate Scheme – annual recurrent options
• Forestry Grant Scheme – annual maintenance and management grants
• Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities annual recurrent options

We will use the information on your Single Application Form (plus any supporting information) to determine your eligibility for the schemes you are applying for.

If your application is successful (each application is assessed on its ability to meet the eligibility criteria) we will make payments into your business bank account.

The primary route to complete the Single Application Form is online. To do this, you must be registered with Rural Payments and Services.

Our local RPID area offices can help you get online and they can discuss what further support is available.

• We have public-use computers available at all area offices that can be used free-of-charge to log-in to Rural Payments and Services to complete applications, update your personal details, manage a business or view map information. Customers can book an appointment either by contacting their local Area Office.
• Our appointment-booking service allows you to schedule an appointment with a member of our team. This time can be used to help you learn about Rural Payments and Services or talk about any other issue relating to your business or applications.

Contact your local area office for support with your application

Staff can explain how the application should be completed, however they cannot be held responsible for your application – this is your responsibility.

You may also wish to seek help from an advisory firm or business representative to submit your SAF. You need to mandate them to allow them access to your details. You can do this online when logged into your RP&S user account, or you and your agent or business representative need to complete a Business Mandate Form (PF05).

Once you are registered with our online service, we will send you a reminder each year ahead of the application window opening.

More information on how we can help you get online and make the most of our services, including helpful tutorial videos are available by clicking on the link below.

How to use this service

Tutorial videos highlighting the benefits of submitting your SAF online and how to complete your application online, are available by clicking the link below.

SAF support

Land Change Notifications

It is essential that we hold up-to-date information about your land, if it has changed since 15 May 2023. You must submit a Land Change Notification (LCN) online using the Customer Proposal function with the LPIS Map Viewer on RP&S, or submit a paper Land Maintenance Form (pLMF) with supporting documentation to your local area office.

You should do this now, do not wait until you submit your 2024 SAF. If the information we have is wrong, it may lead to delays in processing your application and any payments that become due. We will aim to process all land changes received online or on paper, but after 16 April until 15 May the Land Mapping Team will seek confirmation from you to proceed depending on your SAF status.

If, during this period, you submit a LCN before starting your SAF – our Land Mapping Team will contact you to confirm you want the changes applied. If you do not want the changes applied, the LCN will be processed after 15 May.

If, during this period, you submit the LCN when the SAF is ‘in draft’ - our Land Mapping Team will contact you to confirm you want the changes applied. If you do not want the changes applied, the LCN will be processed after 15 May.

Once the land changes have been processed, further action may be required by you to update your SAF. This can include; adding new child land parcels as new land, or updating the claim if an area has changed, or the exclusion of an expired land parcel.

If you submit a LCN throughout the application window after the SAF is ‘submitted’ – these changes will be processed as normal but may result in your SAF displaying errors. You can amend your claim in certain circumstances.

Further guidance on amendments and additions is available in the IACS notes for guidance booklet. When land changes are being processed, whether that be as part of aerial photography updates or changes submitted by yourself via a paper or online land maintenance form, the SAF will show a ‘land with change underway’ section and the land parcels will be listed.

When the land changes have been complete you will be notified:

• If your preferred method of notification is ‘email’ you will receive an email informing you of a new communication. To view the land change letter you will be required to login to your RP&S account.
• If your preferred method of notification is ‘letter’, but you have supplied an email address for the business then you will receive that communication via email.
• If there is no email address you will receive the letter and map(s) by post.
• If you use an advisory firm or business representative to act on behalf of your business to submit your SAF, you will have to notify them when you receive your letter.

Supporting document for the Ecological Focus Area map

Customers can record their EFA using the Customer Proposal function within LPIS Map Viewer. If you submit your EFA on LPIS, you don’t need to upload the map on your SAF as well. You can select ‘all documents are uploaded (either as part of this application or previously)’ and provide a comment that you have submitted the EFA area’s in LPIS. RPID staff will use this information when verifying the EFA. Further guidance and helpful tutorial videos are available, see links below.

Mapping FAQs

LPIS - Viewing and maintaining your land parcels

Excluding land on your SAF

You may wish to exclude land if it is no longer part of your business. If you are removing land parcels from a location, you can do this by submitting an online LMF or paper LMF. If you are removing a whole location from your business you can do this on your RP&S account. If you don’t have the land removed, the land will be treated as undeclared land that you occupy when we process your claim. This will result in under-declaration penalties being applied to your SAF application where the under-declared area of land linked to your business is greater than 3% of your total declared land area on your SAF application.

RPID mailings ‘opt in’

At the end of your application you are asked if you wish to ‘opt in’ to mailings on news and opportunities relevant to your business. Please consider opting in to receive direct mailings on topics like the Agriculture Reform Programme. You can always opt out later.

• If you are using the Single Application Form to apply for the Basic Payment Scheme, you should make sure you are familiar with the guidance for Greening and Cross Compliance.
• If you are claiming Basic Payment Scheme (this includes Greening, Young Farmers Payments and applications to the National Reserve) we must receive your supporting documentation by 15 May 2024 for you to avoid reductions to the payments that become due.
• If you want to submit an application for an allocation of Basic Payment Scheme entitlements from the National Reserve you can only submit this online as part of your Single Application Form (SAF) online.
• If you want to claim for the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme (SUSSS) you must submit a valid SAF, claim Basic Payment Scheme and meet the SUSSS scheme land eligibility requirements. You will also need to submit a separate claim from. Full details of eligibility requirements are set out in the guidance.
• If you want to claim for the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme (SSBSS) you must submit a valid SAF and you will also need to submit a separate claim from. Full details of eligibility requirements are set out in the guidance.

Seasonal common grazing’s form 2024 (PF27)

Fill this form in to confirm you have shareholder permission to claim common grazing’s

Section	Change
Whole page	Updated for 2024 application window

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