Around 3,000 farmers can apply for closed nature farming scheme after ‘error'
Thousands of farmers who had started applications for nature-friendly farming payments before the scheme was abruptly shut will have the chance to apply for funding.
The Government caused uproar when it announced on March 11 that the sustainable farming incentive (SFI), which pays farmers in England for 'public goods' such as insecticide-free farming, wildflower strips and managing ponds and hedgerows, was fully allocated for this year.
At the time it said it had stopped accepting new applications for the incentive – the largest part of the new environmental land management (Elms) programme which has replaced EU-era farming subsidies – with immediate effect.
But ministers have apologised for confusion caused by a message 'shown in error' when people started an application and saved it, which told them they would receive six weeks' notice if the Government needed to close applications.
The message, which was shown alongside one correctly telling farmers their application would be available for two months before being deleted if not submitted, 'should not have been included and I apologise for the confusion it caused', food security and rural affairs minister Daniel Zeichner said.
Around 3,000 farmers who started applications after January 12 but had not submitted them when the scheme was halted will now be able to apply for funding up to £9,300 a year – the average value for existing agreements for this year – with restrictions.
Mr Zeichner acknowledged the restrictions were not in the original scheme but said they had been put in place to be fair and reasonable to affected applicants while also 'ensuring the prudent use of public money'.
In a written ministerial statement Mr Zeichner said the budget for this year's scheme had already been fully allocated and the extra applications would have to be funded from other areas of the Environment Department (Defra's) budget.
He also said that 'every penny' committed through more than 37,000 live SFI agreements that were in place before March 11 would continue to be paid to farmers over the coming years, and all eligible applications submitted before applications closed had been taken forward.
The Government is planning to reform the SFI scheme and has promised to provide more details about the new programme later in the summer.
The announcement comes after the National Farmers' Union (NFU) co-ordinated threatened legal action over Defra's failure to give the proper notice period for the closure of the scheme, claiming more than 6,000 farmers had started applications when the scheme was suddenly scrapped.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: 'The Government's abrupt and wholly unacceptable decision to close the scheme was always wrong.
'While it's good to see an acknowledgement that the decision to close the scheme was flawed, we are disappointed by the constraints imposed which will still leave many farmers unfairly disadvantaged.
'This is a really critical time for the farming industry, and while today's announcement falls short of what our members deserve, this issue highlights the NFU at its very best, working with its members to stand up for what we believe is right.'
Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said: 'The Government's decision to review the position of farmers who had started to put SFI applications in is welcome.
'The speed of closure was harsh and didn't give the six weeks' notification stated on the website.
'However, this doesn't help all the farmers who were not able to get their applications started due to work pressures. There is also a clear need to improve the system for SFI.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
21 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Councils fly flags to support Ukraine's war – but block defence spending
Councils are flying flags for Ukraine from their town halls while blocking investment in the British defence industry. At least a dozen English councils have passed motions 'divesting' from defence companies because of the war in Gaza, or taken steps to reduce their holdings in arms companies. A new report by two Labour MPs found that defence companies have missed out on at least £30 million in investment because of action taken by local councils to focus their pension funds on 'ethical' firms. It comes despite the fact that several of the councils have displayed the Ukrainian flag from their town halls in solidarity against Russia. The MPs, Luke Charters and Alex Baker, said there was 'untapped potential' in local government pensions that could be used to boost investment in the defence sector, which often struggles to access finance. They argued that supporting British defence companies would help Ukraine, which has received more than £18 billion in military and humanitarian support from the UK. The MPs said there was a 'concerning trend among UK councils to divest from defence, with at least a dozen authorities implementing partial or full exclusion policies since 2022'. The MPs did not name the councils, but The Telegraph has found evidence of town halls in London, Bristol, Somerset, Oxford and Dudley where motions have been passed banning defence investment in support of Palestine. Dudley Council, which is under no single party's overall control, passed a motion to divest from defence companies with the support of Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors. The council has flown the Ukrainian flag several times since the Russian invasion in February 2022, and lit up its town hall in blue and yellow. Labour-run Manchester City Council, which voted to pressure its pension provider to abandon weapons manufacturers in November last year, has celebrated Ukrainian independence day and spent £50,000 to support Ukrainian refugees arriving in the city. The motion noted that councillors 'recognise the inextricable link between war, climate destruction, and human suffering' and that 'armed conflicts not only result in loss of life, including civilians and children, but also lead to intense environmental destruction'. Labour-run Waltham Forest Council, which announced plans to sell all defence investments in August last year, has hosted events for Ukrainian residents affected by the 'crisis' in their home country. Mr Charters told The Telegraph: 'With war on our continent, this is not the moment for councils to pull back from investing in UK defence. 'Firms and financiers have been clear when we have engaged with them: barriers like weak demand signals, short-term contracts, divestment, and regulatory uncertainty are holding the sector back. 'Our report calls for urgent engagement with local government pension schemes — and sets out 12 reforms to help unlock the capital and credit our defence sector needs to grow. 'Financing sovereign defence isn't optional – it's vital to our security and economic future.' The report's findings also include an apparent admission from the parliamentary pension scheme for MPs that their savings are often deliberately not invested in defence. A letter to the MPs from the chair of the fund said that while there was no specific ban on defence investments, 'environmental, social, governance (ESG) and climate change issues tend to be more pronounced in some defence companies'. Mr Charters and Ms Baker said: 'There needs to be a holistic review by officials to understand how public investment vehicles are performing when it comes to defence sector investment. 'The UK cannot afford to miss this moment due to outdated ethical aversions. 'Defence investments represent not only a financial opportunity, but also an ethical obligation to secure the nation's future amidst an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.'
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'Stasi-like' Labour council fines stunned resident £1,000 for putting his bins out a few hours early
A Labour council who fined a resident £1,000 for putting his bins out a few hours early has been accused of acting like the 'Stasi'. Clyde Strachan, 37, decided to help refuse collectors by placing his rubbish outside his West Kensington home shortly before midday in May. He then went away for a week and when he returned was faced with an 'environmental enforcement notice', which demanded he make contact with Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The engineer then received an £1,000 fixed penalty notice, stating: 'There was one large box, six bags of waste, and one food bin deposited on the pavement and left. 'It isn't collection day so it shouldn't be there. 'There is no formal right to appeal, however the council will accept representations from you within seven days.' Mr Strachan told The Telegraph: 'I spoke on the phone to one of the council officers and said I was willing to receive a warning but felt a £1,000 fine was excessive. 'I said I had put the bins out early as I was not available the next day. It was an honest mistake. I didn't feel as though I needed to grovel, but it felt like that was what he was after.' The fine has sparked criticism towards the council's 'law enforcement team'. Likening it to the 'Stasi' - the secret police who helped maintain communist power in East Germany through spying and violence. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary said: 'Instead of cracking down on genuine anti-social behaviour, the state tries to reassert itself by punishing well-meaning people for tiny infringements. 'This huge fine for putting the bins out a few hours early veers into Stasi-like control of people's lives. This man was clearly doing the right thing in the circumstances.' The fine has since been retracted. A council spokesman said: 'Mr Strachan asked for a review of the FPN on May 28 when he let us know that the reason he put the rubbish out early was that he had been going on holiday the following day. 'The following day, the council froze the fine pending a review. 'We have since cancelled the FPN as we agree that Mr Strachan made an honest mistake and is not a persistent fly-tipper.'
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
What is a part and part mortgage?
If you're undertaking the often daunting task of choosing a mortgage, not only will you need to look at the type of mortgage you want – fixed or tracker – you'll need to select the length of the deal you want, as well as the repayment option that suits you. Usually, you'll need to choose between repayment – where you'll pay off both the loan interest and capital amount you've borrowed – or interest-only, where you just pay the interest. But there's a lesser-known hybrid version that could suit you, too. This is often referred to as a 'part and part' mortgage. Here, Telegraph Money explains how these deals work and the pros and cons you should consider before taking one on. What is a part and part mortgage? How does a part and part mortgage work? Advantages of this mortgage deal Disadvantages of part and part mortgage s Part and part mortgage FAQs What is a part and part mortgage? A part and part mortgage – also known as 'part interest-only' – is a combination of repayment and interest-only mortgages. Since part of your home loan will be on interest-only, there will still be an outstanding amount to be repaid in full at the end of your mortgage term. Nicholas Mendes, from broker John Charcol, said: 'Used well, part and part can strike a balance between reducing monthly payments and maintaining some capital repayment. 'But there's a clear trade-off. If the repayment plan doesn't materialise, you're left with a significant balance to clear at the end of the term.' How does a part and part mortgage work? As an example, you could get a part and part mortgage for £350,000, with £200,000 on a repayment basis, while the remaining £150,000 is interest-only. This kind of set-up would make for smaller monthly payments, since you're essentially removing the capital repayment element on a portion of your borrowing. However, at the end of the term, you'll need to pay off the full interest-only amount – in this case, £150,000. To be eligible for even a small element of interest-only, you will need to demonstrate that you have a repayment strategy in place – that is, evidence that you have a means of repaying the debt when the time comes. This could be money saved in a stocks and shares Isa, an endowment policy, the sale of a second home or a pension fund. Lenders will usually have a limit on how much of the mortgage can be allocated as interest-only, and this could also vary depending on your circumstances. Income thresholds are often higher, said Mr Mendes, usually starting from £50,000 to £100,000 for single applicants, and most lenders will cap the amount you can borrow at 50 to 75pc for that portion of the mortgage. To reduce the interest-only lump sum that's due when the mortgage term ends, you might be able to apply to increase the portion of your mortgage on repayment in the future to continue chipping away at the original amount you borrowed. Advantages of this mortgage type Your monthly payments will be lower than with a repayment mortgage. These mortgages can be helpful if you're on a strict budget, when property prices are high, or interest rates are rising. A relatively small saving of even a couple of hundred pounds per month could make all the difference to securing the home you want. If you already have an interest-only mortgage, going for 'part and part' can help you start chipping away at the capital, without the shock of going all in. Part and part mortgages are flexible, which means that you can make overpayments if you can afford to. However, this will only be applied to the repayment portion of the mortgage, so the limits before early repayment charges (ERCs) kick in will be lower. It's best to check these details with your lender before you make any overpayments. Disadvantages of part and part mortgages You will pay more interest overall compared to a repayment mortgage. It could take longer to pay off your mortgage. Mortgage lenders may have limits on how much of your mortgage can be interest-only. You will need to have a means of paying off the chunk of interest-only borrowing when the term ends. If you can't, you'll be at risk of losing your home. Part and part mortgage FAQs Can I use a part-and-part mortgage on any type of mortgage deal? A part and part repayment mortgage is available on a fixed rate, discounted rate or tracker loan. The key is whether the lender will approve it according to your affordability and how you intend to repay the remaining debt at the end. Which lenders offer part and part mortgages? Not all lenders offer this choice and have repayment or interest-only as the only options. Halifax, HSBC, Leeds Building Society and Skipton Building Society are among the lenders that do offer part and part options. It's worth checking before you apply if it's offered. How do I get a part and part mortgage? You'll need to apply for your home loan in the same way as any other and pass affordability and credit checks. Since part and part repayments aren't available from all lenders, it might be more straightforward to enlist the help of a mortgage adviser who can help find a home loan to suit you. Beforehand, you could speak to your existing lender to see what they can offer. Can I switch to a repayment mortgage later? When you come to remortgage, you may be able to switch to a full repayment mortgage if you want to. However, note that this will usually mean an increase to your monthly payments, and your lender will want to make sure this is affordable for you. How do I know if a part and part mortgage is right for me? A part and part mortgage might be useful if you're paying interest-only at the moment and want to make a move towards repayment – but not going the whole way. It can help ease into higher repayments. It could also help if you're soon to receive a windfall – perhaps inheritance or a big bonus from work, and need to keep repayments lower until the money lands. If in doubt, a mortgage adviser will be able to help find the best mortgage for you.
