SPS payments top £1 billion

Figures published this week show that the total amount paid out by the Rural Payments Agency in single payments has reached £1.06 billion, which is 71% of the estimated total fund of £1.45 billion. Just under 89,000 (84%) of the 106,700 claimants have now received a payment in full, but there are still almost 18,000 farmers, owed £424 million, who have received nothing, many of whom have rents and other bills to pay. The NFU has taken up with Defra reports that 2007 payments are being held up because of problems related to earlier years, as we were given a firm assurance that this would not happen.