Extra Commons Entitlements

Those who have claimed the SPS over common land may be eligible for additional entitlements and payments.  The RPA is now accepting applications following a legal challenge that resulted in the basis of allocation being changed (see April article).  Simplistically, the ‘Minchinhampton’ case requires the area ofthe common to be apportioned among those actually claiming in a given year, rather than those holding notional rights.  This means some farmers may be able to claim a greater number of SPS entitlements (which will be automatically converted into BPS entitlements), as well as receiving back-payments.  The RPA has published a list of entitlements affected, and will be writing to individual common rights holders.  For more details see – https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sps-common-land-allocation