SPS 2013 April 17, 2013 12:00 am Forms and Guidance The 2013 application season approaches. The SPS online has been unavailable for most of February to allow for maintenance and updating of the system for this year’s applications. It is due to be back up and ready from 26th February after which Guidance Notes will be available from the website and 2013 online applications can start. Paper SP5 forms are expected to begin being sent from the end of February to those who did not claim online last year. A hard copy of the Single Payment Scheme Handbook 2013 will be sent to all claimants this year. However, this is expected to be the last year this happens as the Government continues to make cost savings and pushes users to move online – digital by default. There is also expected to be a supplement containing guidance on Dual Use in 2013 (see below). Drop-in Centres We understand that the drop-in centres have been reduced to just five this year – Carlisle, Worcester, Newmarket, Northallerton and Exeter. Applicants are also being warned not to expect them to be there at all in 2014 as the RPA encourages the use of SPS online. From 2015 it may well be mandatory to apply online so perhaps 2013 is the year to get sorted for those who have not already gone down the digital route. Dual Use It has been decided that valid Dual Use can go ahead again for 2013, but applicants should not assume that this will continue in the future. Dual use is typically where a Landlord claims under an Environmental Stewardship scheme and the Tenant uses the same land to claim under the Single Payment Scheme. EU Auditors have not been comfortable with this arrangement for some time and readers of the Bulletin will know that information gathering exercises have taken place by the RPA and DEFRA to prove that land occupation arrangements in England can satisfy both scheme eligibility requirements. The decision to allow Dual Use this year was made late and is expected to be included in a supplement to the main SPS Handbook. A further evidence gathering exercise is going to take place again this year and it is expected to be larger. Those who are practicing Dual Use should ensure they have the correct written evidence in place by 15th May 2013. As to the future, our view is that Dual Use may be possible again in 2014. After that, it seems quite possible that the EU Commission will use the opportunity of drafting new Implementing Regulations under the CAP reforms to specifically outlaw it from 2015 onwards.
