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09 Apr 2008 - Ref 19/08

The Rural Payment Agency has started to send out explanatory booklets for the Hill Farm allowance (HFA) 2009 scheme to all eligible HFA 2008 claimants

The booklet - “Hill Farm Allowance Explanatory Booklet 2009” – which provides guidance for anyone wishing to claim for HFA 2009, must be read in conjunction with the SPS Handbook and Guidance for England 2008 and the How to complete your SP5 application form booklets. The agency advises applicants to read these before completing a claim.

European Commission regulations require completed SPS 2008 forms – on which the claim for HFA 2009 is made – to be received by RPA no later than 15 May 2008.

Applications received after this date, but before midnight on 9 June 2008, will be accepted but penalties will be applied.

Any applications received after 9 June will be rejected.

Copies of the explanatory booklet can be requested from the RPA customer service Centre (CSC) on telephone number: 0845 603 7777. Opening hours are from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday. Customers calling the CSC are advised to have their Single Business Identifier (SBI) number to hand when they call.

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  • Notes to Editors

1. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is the single paying agency responsible for CAP schemes in England and for administering certain schemes throughout the UK.

2. Drop-in centres for the receipt of claims have been open since the 1 March 2008. Further information about the location of the centres is available by following the ‘our offices’ link under ‘contact us’ on the RPA website www.rpa.gov.uk


Media Enquiries

Caroline Forcer, RPA Press Office, 0118 968 7680; e-mail: caroline.forcer@rpa.gsi.gov.uk.