The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has confirmed that 98% of eligible farmers have received their first instalment of the new delinked payments.
This means that £401 million has now been released to farmers' bank accounts, the agency said today (5 August).
Delinked payments provide financial support as the BPS is being withdrawn, with farmers encouraged to enter the new environmental land management schemes (ELMS).
As part of England's post-Brexit agricultural transition, Defra said farmers will receive continued support through delinked payments until 2027.
Today's news is the first of two delinked payment instalments this year. The RPA have also brought forward the second instalment, which will be paid from 30 September.
RPA chief executive, Paul Caldwell said: “I know that farmers have continued to face a range of challenges this year, with the wet weather and rising costs impacting bottom lines.
“I am pleased that we have made the first instalment and this year have been able to bring forward the second instalment, which will be paid from 30 September.
"We will continue to make sure farmers are paid promptly to improve cash flow during this challenging period.”
Delinked payments are based on the average BPS payment made to a farming business for the 2020 to 2022 scheme years.
Defra said it would apply progressive reductions when it calculates delinked payments each year from 2024 to 2027.
Payments are made directly to bank accounts via BACS transfer, with farmers urged to make sure that RPA has up-to-date account details.
