Outstanding money please RPA

At the last count of the c3,200 farmers that received bridging payments over 750 have seen a top up.

The NFU has been the leading voice over the last year to ensure money gets out into farmers pockets. The NFU was the organisation that has pushed again to get bridging payments made to those not paid in the opening months of the payment window, we were as frustrated as every farmer waiting for money back in February that you had to wait until early April to see the bridging payment. Be assured the NFU does not sit back and let things drift of this nature. We are continuingly enquiring and chasing to see where BPS payments are, that includes top ups for BPS 2017. We meet regularly with RPA and DEFRA personnel.


What concerns us as it does you is the continuing lack of information on where the claim is, how close it is to payment.


On interest we raised this with Minister a couple of years ago, they took the decision to not pay interest on any BPS monies paid after the 7 month payment window, which as you know runs from 1 December to 30 June.

But , as always please don't blame the messenger for the message.

I'll check with staff as to when they have time at Stoneleigh but I'm afraid my diary looks a bit tight over the next two weeks. I'll PM you some suggestions.

Guy Smith said:

At the last count of the c3,200 farmers that received bridging payments over 750 have seen a top up.

The NFU has been the leading voice over the last year to ensure money gets out into farmers pockets. The NFU was the organisation that has pushed again to get bridging payments made to those not paid in the opening months of the payment window, we were as frustrated as every farmer waiting for money back in February that you had to wait until early April to see the bridging payment. Be assured the NFU does not sit back and let things drift of this nature. We are continuingly enquiring and chasing to see where BPS payments are, that includes top ups for BPS 2017. We meet regularly with RPA and DEFRA personnel.


What concerns us as it does you is the continuing lack of information on where the claim is, how close it is to payment.


On interest we raised this with Minister a couple of years ago, they took the decision to not pay interest on any BPS monies paid after the 7 month payment window, which as you know runs from 1 December to 30 June.

But , as always please don't blame the messenger for the message.

I'll check with staff as to when they have time at Stoneleigh but I'm afraid my diary looks a bit tight over the next two weeks. I'll PM you some suggestions.

Click to expand...

As the NFU knows (and is battling hard to rectify - thank you) there are large numbers of farmers who are also waiting for their HLS payments too. Just for information, I've sent the following email this morning to Natural England and have cc'd both Michael Gove and our local MP:

<START>
Good Morning

I wish to lodge a formal complaint about our delayed HLS payments for the above agreement. We have received no payments at all relating to the 2017 calendar year. Over £XX,XXX is outstanding for the year and it is causing real financial difficulties. We have had to approach our bank for an overdraft facility to cover this shortfall in income.

It is wholly unacceptable that small businesses like ours should be subjected to such financial pressures from a government agency. We entered into the HLS agreement in good faith and, having reduced the earning potential of the land in favour of the environment, expect recompense to be made in a timely and regular manner. We cannot afford such lengthy delays.

I am sure I don't need to remind you of the Government's own Prompt Payment Policy (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prompt-payment-policy) which states:

"Government is committed to making further improvements to payment practices across the public and private sector – with a particular focus on actions that support smaller businesses."

Please acknowledge receipt of this email and, as importantly, please make payment of all outstanding monies by return.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely
<END>

We are still owed some of the 2016. Given up trying to contact them about it. Can't see it ever coming.

I have just been paid my final 2017 payment, after the bridging payment earlier.

The statement shows we have also had a 3% penalty for non declaration of land. According to the rules, to be penalised 3% means we have under declared more than 50% of our land !

Has anyone else had this ? It is obviously an error on behalf of the RPA, unless someone has gifted me several hundred hectares of land without telling me !

I had major land loss - due only to their mapping errors, I am still owed a quarter of what I should have had.

I have filled in all the forms back in February to correct their mistake - when do you think that they might get around to looking at this sort of problem? @Guy Smith ?

I am really quite keen on the money as are my creditors.

I'm afraid I'm not party to this sort of information. I'd hope they are looking at it now but we know there is a backlog. The outstanding issues pile is not insubstantial.

Wooly said:

I have just been paid my final 2017 payment, after the bridging payment earlier.

The statement shows we have also had a 3% penalty for non declaration of land. According to the rules, to be penalised 3% means we have under declared more than 50% of our land !

Has anyone else had this ? It is obviously an error on behalf of the RPA, unless someone has gifted me several hundred hectares of land without telling me !

Click to expand...

I assist in completion of several BPS applications.

I have not seen a 3% penalty for non-declaration of land but have seen on more than one occasion 1% penalty for non- declaration.

I had 2 cases in 2016 and one case with 2017 payments - to me it appears a frequent RPA processing error. I have submitted payment query forms requesting payment. Still await the additional payments from the 2016 deductions though I note other 2016 payment queries I submitted are steadily being paid so assume someone in RPA is working through the 2016 query forms. Have submitted the 2017 query form and do not expect any response until 2019 as that seems the RPA timescale on these things. Hey ho. Digital age and all that.

Surgery said:

Don’t worry , that money owed you is probably keeping some lovely slim active young girl and multiple lovely childeren from some lovely country outside the uk in a lovely house with a lovely car , FFS.

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While I empathise with your frustration I am afraid I think that statement does you no service Sir. With regards.

Guy Smith said:

I'm afraid I'm not party to this sort of information. I'd hope they are looking at it now but we know there is a backlog. The outstanding issues pile is not insubstantial.

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I assist with completion of a number of forms. I tell my clients to expect at least 12 months before receiving additional payments in case of payment queries submitted from my experience with 2015 and 2016 payment queries. Most frustrating aspect is the seeming impossibility of establishing at what stage the payment query form is within the corrective system.

Pan mixer said:

I had major land loss - due only to their mapping errors, I am still owed a quarter of what I should have had.

I have filled in all the forms back in February to correct their mistake - when do you think that they might get around to looking at this sort of problem? @Guy Smith ?

I am really quite keen on the money as are my creditors.

Click to expand...

From experience with 2015 and 2016 payment query forms they took over 12 months to be processed and paid - and I am still waiting for some of the 2016 queries to be processed. So expect some payment in early 2019.

I am involved with several claims. On 2 claims the 2017 claim has been altered by someone at the RPA, on 1 claim the error was for about a third of the total amount. I find this absolutely unacceptable that a submitted claim can be altered without my knowledge or permission and I am unable to find out what has happened and at what stage the late payment is.

Wooly said:

I have just been paid my final 2017 payment, after the bridging payment earlier.

The statement shows we have also had a 3% penalty for non declaration of land. According to the rules, to be penalised 3% means we have under declared more than 50% of our land !

Has anyone else had this ? It is obviously an error on behalf of the RPA, unless someone has gifted me several hundred hectares of land without telling me !

Click to expand...

With reference to my post #10 I meant to add that one of the over-declaration penalties was on a farm which has an RPA inspection on which the inspectors report stated none at the question 'was land non declared' so there you go!.

What about the new GDPR rules to help get somewhere?

If you ask them for all the information they hold on you, e.g. name, address, status of claim, reasons for non-payment etc...

Then are they obliged to provide this information in a timely manner? Entitle an email GDPR Request and it just might get some action.

Hindsight said:

With reference to my post #10 I meant to add that one of the over-declaration penalties was on a farm which has an RPA inspection on which the inspectors report stated none at the question 'was land non declared' so there you go!.

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It is the first time we have had a comprehensive BPS statement from the RPA.

Without it, we would have never known that we have apparently got another several hundred hectares that we didn't know about!

Anyone that has had an inspection last year should check that penalties haven't been applied without their knowledge.

Luke Cropwalker said:

I am involved with several claims. On 2 claims the 2017 claim has been altered by someone at the RPA, on 1 claim the error was for about a third of the total amount. I find this absolutely unacceptable that a submitted claim can be altered without my knowledge or permission and I am unable to find out what has happened and at what stage the late payment is.

Click to expand...

If such alterations were made by an ‘ordinary’ company in the normal course of business it would be deemed to be fraud and a criminal prosecution would likely ensue...

Luke Cropwalker said:

I am involved with several claims. On 2 claims the 2017 claim has been altered by someone at the RPA, on 1 claim the error was for about a third of the total amount. I find this absolutely unacceptable that a submitted claim can be altered without my knowledge or permission and I am unable to find out what has happened and at what stage the late payment is.

Click to expand...

Was the alteration as part of a remapping once the claim was submitted. I have had similar where a RLE1 has been processed to make adjustments to a parcel of land then the wrong crop code has been entered against that parcel when uploaded onto the system. That is not in itself an issue but it is if that change of crop code affects crop diversification or EFA - as happened with this case leading to reduced payment and a penalty. Submitted payment query form and finally got the balance of 2016 money a few weeks ago. Hey ho.

The Ruminant said:

As the NFU knows (and is battling hard to rectify - thank you) there are large numbers of farmers who are also waiting for their HLS payments too. Just for information, I've sent the following email this morning to Natural England and have cc'd both Michael Gove and our local MP:

<START>
Good Morning

I wish to lodge a formal complaint about our delayed HLS payments for the above agreement. We have received no payments at all relating to the 2017 calendar year. Over £XX,XXX is outstanding for the year and it is causing real financial difficulties. We have had to approach our bank for an overdraft facility to cover this shortfall in income.

It is wholly unacceptable that small businesses like ours should be subjected to such financial pressures from a government agency. We entered into the HLS agreement in good faith and, having reduced the earning potential of the land in favour of the environment, expect recompense to be made in a timely and regular manner. We cannot afford such lengthy delays.

I am sure I don't need to remind you of the Government's own Prompt Payment Policy (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prompt-payment-policy) which states:

"Government is committed to making further improvements to payment practices across the public and private sector – with a particular focus on actions that support smaller businesses."

Please acknowledge receipt of this email and, as importantly, please make payment of all outstanding monies by return.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely
<END>

Click to expand...

Well, it generated a semi-positive response. Here's the text of the reply from NE

<START>
Entry Level plus Higher Level Stewardship Agreement

I am writing further to the complaint you made regarding payment of the 2017 revenue claims in relation to the above Environmental Stewardship agreement. The Customer Focus Team has referred your complaint to me as Team Leader for Operations Delivery in Cambridge which covers Hertfordshire.

Firstly I would like to stress that we understand how important these payments are to farmers and land managers. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet customer expectations of the advance (first) payment for the 2017 agreement year being made by the end of December 2017 for a number of our customers. Whilst there is no regulatory deadline for ES or CS payments relating to the 2017 agreement year, I appreciate that not receiving payment when expected will have caused agreement holders anxiety and had an impact on their businesses. Natural England is working hard to process and pay the majority of the 2017 ES advanced payments by the end of the year with the majority of 2017 ES final payments being made early next year. With regards to this 2017 mid-year revenue payment I am pleased to inform you it has now been processed and should be with you shortly.

There are a number of factors that have contributed to later than expected payments. Burdensome EU requirements such as mapping changes and inspections have meant that some ES claims have been more complex and time-consuming to process, and as a result some payments will be delayed.

A dedicated team is working hard to process and pay customers with ES agreements. However, work on ES payments has to be balanced with processing CS payments and applications to bring more people into agri-environment agreements.

Natural England and the RPA are working together to provide a more joined-up service for customers. As part of this, the administration of CS and ES is moving to the RPA, along with NE staff who work on ES and CS delivery to maintain the knowledge and expertise of staff.

We have restructured our teams and brought in additional resource, setting up an additional team to deliver ES. The teams are working 7 days a week to make ES payments as quickly as possible.

I would also like to mention that Natural England has put in place a process to deal with exceptional circumstances where customers are facing hardship. We consider these on a case by case basis usually, but not exclusively, where cases come to us via one of the various farming support organisations.

I appreciate that we have much work to do but I hope this will go some way to reassuring you that we are working hard to address current issues.

We have now effectively been through stage 1 of our complaints procedure to address your complaint. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome and our response then, should you wish to, you can now raise this as a stage 2 complaint through our Customer Focus Team.

Further details on our complaints procedures are on our gov.uk webpage.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england/about/complaints-procedure


Yours sincerely
<END>