ELS\HLS Payment Dates

[Shropshire Farmer]

Anybody else confused about payment dates for these schemes. I'm not sure whether my payment in December was an end of year payment or an early partial payment for this year. I know the realignment starts in January 2015. I'm guessing the only way to get to the bottom of it is ring natural England but this can have conflicting answers depending on who you speak too.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

It all depends on when your scheme started.
There is a calculator that you can fill in online on the NE website that will tell you when you will be paid and when and possibly how much.

However there are issues to this as my final payment will not now be paid until 14 months after the scheme ends and in 2015 the payment in May will be reduced by 66%, with no interest payments or compensation!!

 

[DRC]

It is a scandal, as when we signed up,the document says it's a legal document, which we have to stick to.
They should stick to their side of the bargain.

 

[Chrisw]

As far as I am concerned, when we and Natural England signed the agreement it was a contract. Only in farming can one party change teh terms/payment dates of a contract with no redress! All these payment date changes and amounts drive me up the wall!!

 

[Chrisw]

It is a scandal, as when we signed up,the document says it's a legal document, which we have to stick to.
They should stick to their side of the bargain.

Beat me to it!!

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I missed about 8 months of payment due to the changes and when I queried it I was told I would receive it after the end of agreement in 3 years time. I have my doubts.

 

[nick...]

We never seem to get paid on a regular basis but it allways turns up
Nick...

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I missed about 8 months of payment due to the changes and when I queried it I was told I would receive it after the end of agreement in 3 years time. I have my doubts.

I asked what would happen if I'd continued my els agreement, and was told that as 2 payments cant be paid at the same time, it would be rolled on until the end of that agreement.
When I told them that I may as well have a gap year, they didn't agree!!!!...

 

[Chrisw]

They never agree.... unless it is in their interests!!!! Bloody stinks if you ask me!

 

[Andy26]

It was supposedly because they were in breach of EU regulations, that is paying in advance when it should be in arrears. The longer the situation persisted the bigger the EU fines.

Wouldn't surprise me if there's a U-turn on allowing pre 2012 ELS/HLS agreement options to count towards greening. I cannot see how it's not double funding?? I wonder if it was so 'Plaice's Pledge' remained valid?

 

[dinderleat]

It was supposedly because they were in breach of EU regulations, that is paying in advance when it should be in arrears. The longer the situation persisted the bigger the EU fines.

Wouldn't surprise me if there's a U-turn on allowing pre 2012 ELS/HLS agreement options to count towards greening. I cannot see how it's not double funding?? I wonder if it was so 'Plaice's Pledge' remained valid?

I just spoke to natural England and you can use pre 2012 agreements

 

[Andy26]

I just spoke to natural England and you can use pre 2012 agreements

Yes you can, but I wonder for how long, hence a potential U-turn as I cannot see how its not double funding, if someone wants to explain the logic or rhyme and reason? For their must be some somewhere.

 

[Robigus]

It all depends on when your scheme started.
There is a calculator that you can fill in online on the NE website that will tell you when you will be paid and when and possibly how much.

However there are issues to this as my final payment will not now be paid until 14 months after the scheme ends and in 2015 the payment in May will be reduced by 66%, with no interest payments or compensation!!

What Frank said

Calculator is the link at the end of the second bullet point
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/developments.aspx

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/qa-uniform-start-dates_tcm6-37593.pdf

 

[Billhook]

Nearly a year on from the original post and I have only just been made aware of this problem.
I received a part payment out of the blue in January with no explanation or covering letter. Thinking it was just an adjustment and that the balance would be forthcoming in June. I thought that I had better just check and the local Natural England seemed to know nothing and put me through to Central Office where I was told that the payment is now being delayed............to June 2017!
Neither the NFU or my agent who deals with dozens of other farmers SFP, HLS and ELS schemes know anything about this.
The RPA man acknowledged that it was an unfair anomaly but I see that it affects over 1000 farmers.
The NFU legal team have shown an interest but it would be a good idea to find out who the 1000 are and attack from a position of strength.

This is from the gov webpage

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...t_data/file/336676/qa-uniform-start-dates.pdf

scroll down to.


12. How do the changes affect different categories of customers?

(a) HLS agreements starting on 1 February, May, August and November in 2006, under the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP)

This small group of less than a 1,000 HLS agreements will receive their last scheduled payment in 2014, and then receive a one off extra payment – the Alignment payment – by May 2015, to cover any outstanding months to 31 December 2014 not covered by the last payment in 2014.

Subsequent payments will then relate to the calendar year from 1 January 2015. These agreements will then pass through the Single Annual Crosscheck (SAC) in July 2015. The next payment will be the partial payment by December 2015. The end of year payment for 2015 will be paid by June 2016. In 2016, the final year of these agreements, the payments will be proportional to the remaining number of months of the agreement. Final year payments for all agreements will still be split into a Partial and End of Year/ final payment to ensure that each part of the payment is covered by the appropriate SAC, which is run usually in July. (See section 13 and 14 below) These payments will follow the pattern of: • The Partial payment after the SAC by December 2016 • The End of Year payment by June in the next calendar year 2017

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Not sure why you have not received all the information, I have had a lot of correspondence about this and the total amounts in the year but nothing about the timing of this years payments.
The mystery payment in January was a puzzle and I had to call them to find out what it was and it took a while for them to tell me.

The bad news is you will not receive a June payment, the good news is that you will receive the full amount in November or December, next years payments will be as per normal but the missing amount will not come until as you say June 2017!!

However another bit of good news is that if you are in an SSSI or other area of high importance it is very likely you will have your scheme reviewed and automatically put into the new Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship and this should happen "seamlessly" was the quote at the NFU conference last week. They are concerned that because of the January 1st start dates many could potentially drop out.
I am afraid though that many other HLS schemes will struggle to qualify in the future.

 

[Billhook]

Just seems very unfair that some will receive an early payment where 1000 others will have to pay overdraft charges and maybe disadvantageous tax implications.

There is another possibility that the EU may fold up before June 2017 without any help from an English Referendum! Then where will my money be?

 

[Old Tip]

It all beats me still no idea whats happening, i like others got a mystery payment last week for a weird amount, is that all i am getting this year, used to be paid two equal sums, April and october, this last year it was April and December, now a small amount in Feb and no idea when the next payment will be, the stuff they send out doesn't make any sense what so ever

 

[spin cycle]

i thought we were all moving to dec and june payments?...and we've to apply annually for something we can't change? very strange...i love my stewardship though

 

[Chrisw]

We had what seems like a "normal" payment in December, although we had our usual payment in Oct. The notes they sent to us suggested that we would now move onto a June and Dec, and this coming year we should still get the usual 2 half payments. That said, all this changing of dates which is now nothing like the payment program in the agreement, is starting to get harder to keep track of!
I can't see any other businesses agreeing to a 10 year deal/contract and then have the payment dates and amounts moved all over the place without any consultation.

 

[Billhook]

As Silverfox said, a contract is a contract. I have been playing my part since November 2006 and there have been no issues at all with my work. I have been paid in May and November every year.
I can just imagine how any of you would feel if I made a contract with you for example to drill my corn. After several years of you doing the work and being paid on time, this year I suddenly turn round after you have done the work and say " Sorry mate, I am not going to pay you until June 2017 as I have just been fined for speeding"

I do not want to upset the applecart as we approach a new contract, but then again what is the point of a contract if it is not worth the paper it is written on.