Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales and Trefnydd
I wish to update Members of the Senedd on the number of BPS advance payments which will be made tomorrow, 12 October.
Over 96% claimants will receive a BPS advance worth approximately 70% of their estimated claim value. Over £158m will be paid to more than 15,600 Welsh farm businesses.
This year, for the first time, Rural Payments Wales (RPW) will be making BPS advance payments during a payment window. This means more farm businesses will now benefit from receiving a BPS advance payment.
The new payment window will open tomorrow and run until 15 December. Any farm business which does not receive an advance payment tomorrow, but who’s claim is subsequently validated before 15 December, will receive the advance payment.
Once again full and remaining balance BPS 2023 payments will be made from 15 December, subject to full validation of the BPS claim. RPW intends to make these payments to as many farmers as possible early in the payment window.
I expect all but the most complex BPS claims to be fully validated, and payments made before the end of the payment window on 30 June 2024.