RPA Payments Update

As at the 23^rd September the RPA reported that 42,000 English farmers had received their Basic Payment.  With a total claim population of 87,095 this means 48% have been paid.  A few more payments will see the RPA meet its self-imposed target of having a ‘majority’ of claimants paid by the end of December.  However, no current data is provided on the value of funds that have been released.  It is clear that the smaller, easier claims have been paid first (earlier in the process only around 19% of funds had been paid when 41% of claimants had been processed).  Although the RPA may meet its initial target, there is concern over its ability to pay the ‘vast majority’ (whatever that means) by the end of January.  The pace of payments could well slow now the more complex cases are being processed.