2009 Entitlements Statements FAQ
Published: 19/10/09
Q1) How can I check whether my Entitlements Statement is correct?
A) Sections F and G of the Entitlements Statement Guidance booklet sent with your statement provides information on how to calculate your entitlement. An electronic calculator is also available on the RPA website: www.rpa.gov.uk. Follow the link to ‘Single Payment Scheme’ then click on ‘Entitlements’.
Q2) When will I receive payment for sugar support?
A) From 2007 onwards, the sugar support has been incorporated into the value of your entitlements and forms part of your SPS payment. Please see the electronic entitlements calculator on the RPA website for details of how this has been calculated. You will not receive a separate sugar payment for 2007 onwards.
Q3) I don’t have/can’t find the statement you sent confirming a transfer of entitlements; can you tell me what was transferred?
A) You should contact the Customer Service Centre on 0845 603 7777, or in writing at Rural Payments Agency, PO Box 1058, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE99 4YQ, who will then issue a new statement which will show the transfer details.
Q4) I cannot find my 2008 Entitlements Statement to compare with 2009 to see if there is a difference, what can I do?
A).You should contact the Customer Service Centre and request a duplicate copy of your 2008 Entitlements Statement.
Q5) I think the ‘use-by dates’ on my Entitlements Statement are incorrect.
A) If you think the use-by dates are wrong, you should write to us giving full details of why you think they are wrong. Please send your correspondence to the address shown at Q3) above, including your SBI, name of business and scheme year.
However, following the EU CAP Health Check, English Reserve entitlements have been changed to normal entitlements for the 2009 scheme year and so will now have the same usage rules as Normal entitlements.
For 2009 we have activated your entitlements in the following order:
- Normal entitlements, with the highest value entitlement being used first;
- Special entitlements, only whole entitlements are activated in ascending order of value (a requirement of the Commission Regulations).
The relevant SPS handbook and guidance explained what to do if you did not want your entitlements activated in this way. For example, if you activated a normal entitlement in 2009 the use-by date will show 2011 (2009 plus 2 years = 2011). If you did not activate the entitlement in 2009 it will show an earlier scheme year.
Q6) Why has the value of my entitlements changed since my 2008 Entitlements Statement?
A) The value of entitlements is recalculated each year as we move towards a flat rate value for entitlements. The flat rate area payment is being introduced over an 8-year period, with the historic element of your entitlement values being reduced accordingly. In some circumstances the correction of entitlements will also have changed 2009 entitlements values, and the figures shown on your 2009 Entitlements Statement should reflect this.
Q7) When will I receive my 2009 Entitlements Statement?
A) RPA are planning to send out the majority of 2009 Entitlements Statements in November 2009. If you have not received your 2009 Entitlements Statement or a letter about your Entitlements Statement by the end of December, please contact our Customer Service Centre as detailed at Q3 above.
Farmers and growers of permanent fruit and vegetables, nursery crops or vines who successfully applied for new entitlements may not receive their Entitlement Statements until early 2010. This includes farmers who already hold entitlements and have applied for additional new entitlements.
Q8) Why is the total number of entitlements shown on my 2009 Entitlements Statement different from my 2008 statement?
A) Your Entitlements Statement may not show the same number of entitlements as your 2008 statement if:
- you have transferred entitlements in or out of your business;
- you have not met the current three-year usage rule for Normal entitlements (in this case the entitlements will have reverted to the National Reserve);
- you have voluntarily given up entitlements; or
- your entitlements have been corrected.
If you disagree with the total number of entitlements shown on your 2009 Entitlements Statement, you should write to us giving full details of why you think they are wrong. You should note that Article 137 of Council Regulation 73/2009 limits the types of corrections to your entitlements we can make after 31 December 2009. Please send your correspondence to the address shown above at Q3, including your SBI, name of business and scheme year.
Q9) What details should be in Part C of the statement headed “Entitlement changes completed”?
A) This shows details of the transfer of any entitlements, from other farmers, to other farmers, or to the National Reserve in the event of expiry, that have taken place since the previous scheme year. If no transfers have taken place and no entitlements have expired, this will state “N/A”.
Q10) What details should be in Part C of the statement headed “New Entitlements”?
A) This shows details of any new entitlements that have been allocated in respect of land used to grow permanent fruit and vegetables, nursery crops, and vines, having been applied for using form SP20. These will be available for use from the 2010 scheme year. If no allocation has been made this will state “N/A”.
Additional FAQ regarding the expiry of entitlements
Q11) What are expired entitlements?
A) This is when entitlements have not been activated (claimed on) in the required usage period and as a result have been withdrawn and allocated to the National Reserve.
Q12) Will the usage rules be changing as part of the CAP Health Check?
A) SPS 2009 scheme year
Normal entitlements currently have to be activated for payment at least once every three years, otherwise they are lost to the National Reserve. This still applies for the 2009 scheme year.
SPS 2010 scheme year
From the 2010 scheme year, you will have to activate your entitlements for payment at least once every two years. However, entitlements activated in 2007 but not in 2008 or 2009 will not be lost to the National Reserve as long as they are activated for payment in 2010. This means that in 2010 you will need to activate any entitlements that were last activated in 2007 or 2008 to avoid losing them to the National Reserve.
|