MORE than half of England's farm and agricultural agents and advisors have registered on the new rural payments service as a first step to helping their clients claim under the new Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in 2015.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) contacted around 1,200 agents in December to provide support in registering and to become some of the first users of the new system. This included more than 170 firms of agents, individual agents, professional advisors, and others who support farmers to make their claims.

So far over 140 firms and more than 750 agents have registered and are now being encouraged to help the 32,000 farmers, landowners and food producers they represent to register. Their clients need to register on the service to give agents permission to be able to act on their behalf.

Ian Hewitt, Change Director, said: "There is lots for farmers, food producers and landowners to do this year. The new rules mean we will have to gather lots of new information and our customers will need to check that information they have already given us is still correct.

“It made sense to start the significant registration activity on the new service with agents, as their clients are expected to account for around one third of the claimants for the new Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). Registering early helps agents give the best service to their clients."

Agents who have not yet registered should go to gov.uk/ruralpayments. Farmers wanting to use an agent will only be able to do so if the agent is registered on the service.

The RPA said individual farmers and land owners, who do not currently use agents, will be invited to register on the new service very soon.

The online service is the only way for farmers to claim their rural payments money and they have been advised to register as soon as they are invited.