The RPA grant funding stupid questions time

Poncherello1976 · Mar 22, 2024

We have applied for 2 things totalling more than £25000 worth of grant. Had an email asking for a bank statement to show funds, or proof of a loan. As said above we are not approved for the grant yet and months away from buying it. However sent in a copy of our bank statement, pretty healthy having sold 30 store cattle recently, and also said I have quite a lot of grain sales coming up in April/May that will pay for the machines. I was half expecting to have to send in accounts and stuff, but seem to have got away with that. Annoyingly i have not had a response to say thank you that is all we need! Our equipment is ordered subject to the grant being approved.

topground · Mar 22, 2024

The Civil Service are world class when it comes to creating additional layers of bureaucracy and paperwork where none existed before. All designed to keep themselves in work .
It’s all about the process as far as they are concerned, they are not interested in the product. Just look at all of the schemes that have replaced BPS.

rusty · Mar 22, 2024

upnortheast said:
1st CS scheme we applied for ( total value, circa £50 k needed a letter from accountant confirming we had the means to fund it.
Haven't asked for subsequent schemes. @Wesley reasons above make sense.

I had the same with a capital grant on low emission flooring. Fortunately we happened to have enough in the bank account at the time to cover the full cost. I emailed them a copy of the bank statement to show them. I also pointed out asking my accountant was pointless as he only sees the figures at the end of the year. Told them the bank managers approval would be much more relevant.

Drillman · Mar 22, 2024

Poncherello1976 said:
We have applied for 2 things totalling more than £25000 worth of grant. Had an email asking for a bank statement to show funds, or proof of a loan. As said above we are not approved for the grant yet and months away from buying it. However sent in a copy of our bank statement, pretty healthy having sold 30 store cattle recently, and also said I have quite a lot of grain sales coming up in April/May that will pay for the machines. I was half expecting to have to send in accounts and stuff, but seem to have got away with that. Annoyingly i have not had a response to say thank you that is all we need! Our equipment is ordered subject to the grant being approved.

We have a large overdue payment for a CS capital works claim

well overdue by what I’m told. As a result the bank balance is a bit sketchy and private funds don’t match the business name so doesn’t count.

as for a loan I’m not going down that route unless I need to and as we don’t have grant approval it has no relevance

so currently stalemate and in the hands of our agent.

I can see us been refused for this grant which will be costly as the machine I had chance of at a good price pre grant has now been sold. And buying another will cost us several thousand more

Wesley · Mar 22, 2024

Drillman said:
We have a large overdue payment for a CS capital works claim

well overdue by what I’m told. As a result the bank balance is a bit sketchy and private funds don’t match the business name so doesn’t count.

as for a loan I’m not going down that route unless I need to and as we don’t have grant approval it has no relevance

so currently stalemate and in the hands of our agent.

I can see us been refused for this grant which will be costly as the machine I had chance of at a good price pre grant has now been sold. And buying another will cost us several thousand more

Sorry but you’re over thinking this…or your agent is kicking up a big deal over a simple thing to sort. You don’t need an actual loan in place, just a letter from the bank (preferably on headed paper) to say they would in theory approve one. Otherwise show evidence of the CS money you are owed (especially if its enough to cover the purchase) & point out you’ve been waiting a while. Or you could show proof of private funds & say you are willing to transfer.

davidroberts30 · Mar 22, 2024

Drillman said:
We have a large overdue payment for a CS capital works claim

well overdue by what I’m told. As a result the bank balance is a bit sketchy and private funds don’t match the business name so doesn’t count.

as for a loan I’m not going down that route unless I need to and as we don’t have grant approval it has no relevance

so currently stalemate and in the hands of our agent.

I can see us been refused for this grant which will be costly as the machine I had chance of at a good price pre grant has now been sold. And buying another will cost us several thousand more

id just write an email saying this

Drillman · Mar 22, 2024

Wesley said:
Sorry but you’re over thinking this…or your agent is kicking up a big deal over a simple thing to sort. You don’t need an actual loan in place, just a letter from the bank (preferably on headed paper) to say they would in theory approve one. Otherwise show evidence of the CS money you are owed (especially if its enough to cover the purchase) & point out you’ve been waiting a while. Or you could show proof of private funds & say you are willing to transfer.

No it’s been tried they won’t accept it for some reason

need proof of funds which until were paid by them we haven’t got or need to move private money to business account which again we’re not willing to do as no agreement in place

stalemate!

Drillman · Mar 22, 2024

davidroberts30 said:
id just write an email saying this

Agent is chasing what we’re owed

digger64 · Mar 22, 2024

JP1 said:
Thought the same . Maybe it’s a way of checking you’re not borrowing the money or paying on a credit card etc

but what difference does that make as long as the lender has no direct ownership claim on the item purchased ?

Drillman · Apr 11, 2024

Drillman said:
They want proof.

trouble is because the RPA are dragging there heels over quite a substantial hedge planting payment it’s nipped us up financially potentially buggering up other things

To settle things, it wasn’t the RPAs fault. The agent has a lot to answer for and has lost all our future business.

Humble Village Farmer · Apr 11, 2024

Can someone point me in the direction of the how to apply page please?

I'm too stupid to find it myself.

ffukedfarmer · Apr 11, 2024

If I apply for 2 items and get approval can I then only accept the grant for one of the items?

I’m awaiting an answer from their specifications team which I’m told may not be received before the deadline

If one of the items doesn’t meet their specification then I will only want to go ahead with just the one item.

Bruce Almighty · Apr 11, 2024

upnortheast said:
1st CS scheme we applied for ( total value, circa £50 k needed a letter from accountant confirming we had the means to fund it.
Haven't asked for subsequent schemes. @Wesley reasons above make sense.

We had to do the same.
If you want the grant you have to jump through the hoops.

Bullring · Apr 11, 2024

ffukedfarmer said:
If I apply for 2 items and get approval can I then only accept the grant for one of the items?

I’m awaiting an answer from their specifications team which I’m told may not be received before the deadline
If one of the items doesn’t meet their specification then I will only want to go ahead with just the one item.

I thought you had to either accept all of what you applied for or decline accepting the grant and then reapply at the next round. Don’t think you can drop one once you have accepted the grant.

Wesley · Apr 11, 2024

Humble Village Farmer said:
Can someone point me in the direction of the how to apply page please?

I'm too stupid to find it myself.

Apply for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2024

www.gov.uk

ffukedfarmer · Apr 12, 2024

Bullring said:
I thought you had to either accept all of what you applied for or decline accepting the grant and then reapply at the next round. Don’t think you can drop one once you have accepted the grant.

Thank you

andybk · Apr 12, 2024

Wesley said:
Answer their basic questions, take their money & smile because they’ve just chucked a heap of money at ~~you~~ the manufacturer for very little effort.

Altered that for you ! the sheep yards increased in price by the amount of the grant , so anyone not wanting to use grant funding has to pay more !

The RPA grant funding stupid questions time

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Up to 25%

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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