Sustainable Farming Scheme: frequently asked questions

The Sustainable Farming Scheme 2026: scheme description offers a comprehensive overview that should provide farmers with enough detail to consider the scheme requirements for their individual farming business.

However, we also recognise farmers may have technical and specific questions on detailed definitions relating to some of the universal actions or what these requirements mean in practice.

Operational requirements are now being designed to cover these more technical and specific questions, and whilst we can provide an answer as outlined in these frequently asked questions (FAQs), these details will continue to be worked through and agreed with policy and stakeholders.

Full scheme guidance and technical notes will be available later in the year, before the scheme starts on 1 January 2026. 

Q. Do I need have claimed for Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) previously or hold entitlements to enter the scheme?

A. No. There are no entitlements under SFS. To be eligible you will need to be able to meet the eligibility requirements set out in the scheme description.

Q. For those with less than 3 hectares of eligible land, how will you check the 550 standard labour hours on agricultural or ancillary activities requirement is met? (updated)

A. You may need to submit evidence via RPW Online to demonstrate over 550 standard labour hours on agricultural or ancillary activities on the claimed land.   

Q. What do you mean by agricultural or ancillary activities?

A. Both are defined by the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023. 

Agricultural activities means:

•  keeping and breeding livestock using land for horticulture, farming arable crops and dairy farming
• using land as grazing land and as farm woodland or for agroforestry. Includes controlled environment agriculture, growing plants for sale or for sale of part of the plant such as producing seeds
• maintaining land in state that makes it suitable for the activities above

Ancillary activities means: 

• taking action on land used for agriculture to create and manage habitat, or for other purposes related to nature conservation, to mitigate and adapt to climate change, or to maintain and enhance the resilience of ecosystems
• it also means the selling, marketing, preparing, packaging, processing or distributing products deriving from agriculture 

Q. What do you mean by exclusive occupation and management control? 

A. Land is eligible for you to claim SFS universal payment if you have management control and can meet the applicable universal actions for your farm. You will have management control if you are; 

• the owner occupier of the land
• a tenant who has ‘exclusive occupation’ under either the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 with a farm business tenancy, or a full Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 tenancy
• a tenant with an unwritten tenancy with the same level of control as the above  

You do not necessarily need to have ‘exclusive occupation’ for the land to be eligible for SFS, however, you must have management control of the land. For example, if you allow a licensee onto your land under a grazing licence (or similar agreement) that is specifically for grazing, cropping or taking hay/silage over a specified and limited time period, but you retain full management control of the land and landscape features.

Q. As a landowner, am I required to have management control for a continuous 10-month period? 

A. You do not need to have management control of the land for a continuous 10-month period. However, you should have management control for a minimum 10-months of the calendar year, and you must have management control of the land on 15 May. 

Provided you have management control for 10 months of the calendar year, this can be broken down into two or more periods of occupancy. 

For example, you may have management control of a land parcel from 1 January-30 June and again from 1 September to 31 December. 

The land should remain eligible and compliant with scheme requirements for the entire calendar year. In the event that is not possible, Welsh Government should be notified immediately. 

Q. Do I have to declare all my land or only land I have available for 10 months? (new)

A. You must declare all the land over which you have management control for 10 months and have management control on 15 May. You will not be required, for example, to declare land you occupy under the terms of a grazing licence. 

Q. I use land under the terms of a grazing licence, can I claim an SFS universal payment on this land? 

A. No. If you use the land under the terms of a grazing licence (or similar agreement), that is specifically for grazing, cropping or taking hay/silage over a specified and limited time period, you are not considered to have management control, and you will not be eligible to claim SFS universal payment on this land.  

Q. I licence some of my land out to a grazier, does my grazier need to comply with the SFS universal scheme requirements? (new)

A. Not directly, you as the claimant with management control of the land are responsible for meeting the requirements of the SFS regulatory baseline, universal code and applicable universal actions, not your grazier. However, to ensure you meet the habitat and woodland maintenance requirements you should consider this as part of the terms of your grazing agreement. 

If you do not have your own livestock, you will not be expected to complete UA12: animal health and welfare or select the livestock sector Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for UA3: benchmarking due to the presence of another grazier’s livestock on your land. 

Q. What if, as a tenant, I am unable to comply with some of the requirements of the universal actions due to landlord restrictions in my tenancy? (new)

A If you have management control of a field parcel you should be able to meet the requirements of all the universal actions. In exceptional cases, where you believe you cannot meet the requirements due to landlord restrictions in your tenancy, we will develop a process where tenants can request a derogation. Requests will need to be approved by Welsh Government on an individual case by case basis.

Q. Do I need to claim all of my land under SFS? 

A. SFS is a whole farm scheme, and you should claim all land which is under your exclusive occupation / management control for at least 10 months of the year. 

Q. Do I need to claim all my land for SFS or can I continue to claim BPS on some of my land

A. You will need to decide whether to claim SFS or BPS on the land via the Single Application Form (SAF). Once you claim SFS you cannot claim BPS.

Q. What do you mean by areas of non-agricultural activities that are not eligible for an SFS universal payment? 

A. In the same way as for BPS, we define certain non-agricultural areas that are not eligible for an SFS universal payment. We split non-agricultural activities into three categories.

• category 1 activities are permitted throughout the year, and the land remains eligible for an SFS universal payment. Examples include fishing, shooting game, or using land for school farm visits
• category 2 activities are permitted up to a limit of 28 days throughout the calendar year. Where activities take place for more than 28 days the land will not be eligible for an SFS universal payment. Examples include caravans/camping, country shows, farm sales, car parking and motorsports
• category 3 activities are not consistent with the land being in agricultural use and are not permitted. The land will not be eligible for an SFS universal payment. Examples include permanent sports facilities, gallops or airports 

Further details will be provided in the final scheme guidance. 

Q. What about land with solar panels, is this land eligible for payment?

A. Land with solar panels will not be eligible for an SFS universal payment. This includes the land between, underneath and around the solar panels, even if it is being grazed, or is accessible for grazing. 

If the solar panels are concentrated in a single area within the land parcel (e.g. a corner or one end), and you want to claim for payment on the rest of the land, you must fence off the area with the panels to create 2 separate land parcels.

Q. Will areas declared as non-agricultural activities be used to calculate the 10% habitat requirements?

A. No, areas of non-agricultural activities, along with ineligible features such as rivers/streams, buildings/yards and hardstanding areas will not be included in the SFS whole farm area for your farm and therefore will not be eligible for the universal baseline payment or used to calculate the area you require to meet the 10% habitat requirements. 

Q. Can I use areas declared as non-agricultural activities to plant trees to meet the requirements of UA10: tree and hedgerow planting opportunity plan?

A. No, any ineligible SFS land used to plant trees will not be considered under the Universal requirement to plant 0.1ha / 250 trees under UA10: tree and hedgerow planting opportunity plan.

Q. If I accept an agreement under the Organic Conversion Scheme (OCS) now or to commence 1st January 2026, will it prevent me from being able to apply for SFS in 2026? How will this impact on the future optional actions available to me? (new)

A. Holding an existing OCS grant award or accepting one to commence on 1 January 2026 will have no impact on your ability to apply for the SFS universal scheme in 2026 or on the optional actions available to you.

Q. Can I transfer land during the scheme year and transfer my SFS claim? 

A. The SFS universal layer is an annual claim and declaration. To receive a universal payment farmers will have to meet the scheme requirements on an annual basis. There is no provision to transfer the annual claim to another farmer. 

Q. What is the SFS regulatory baseline? 

A. These are legal requirements which form the baseline on which the scheme will operate. They are all existing legal requirements which you must follow. 

The vast majority of these requirements will be same as the Cross Compliance rules which currently underpin Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).

Q. Are there more new legal requirements that I will have to meet in SFS? 

A. Yes. Two new requirements have been added, which are also existing legal requirements, relating to:

• public rights of way/open access areas, and
• Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS)

Q. Will I receive a payment for meeting the requirements of the SFS regulatory baseline?

A. There is no specific payment for the SFS regulatory baseline, however, you will need to comply with the regulations to receive the universal payment. 

The SFS regulatory baseline will operate in the same way as Cross Compliance did for BPS. You will be asked to declare that you are meeting the SFS regulatory baseline on the annual SAF.

Q. How will you check if I have met the SFS regulatory baseline?

A. We will continue to select and inspect farms to check compliance with the regulations, in the same way as we do now for the BPS.

Q. What happens if I fail to comply with the SFS regulatory baseline? 

A. If you fail to comply with the requirements, you may receive a financial penalty against the universal payment. A set of verifiable standards and sanction matrix will be published before the scheme starts on 1 January. 

Q. Do I have to test 20% of my field parcels or 20% of my land by area each year? (updated)

Please note, this requirement is being clarified since the publication of the SFS: scheme description and previous versions of this FAQ. 

A. You will need to test on average 20% of your field parcels containing improved land each year, over a 5-year cycle. Testing will only be required on field parcels that receive inputs.

Q. If I test more than 20% of my land in a given year, can I test less than 20% in subsequent years? (updated)

A. You have the choice of testing more than 20% in a particular year, provided the average of 20% per year and 100% across a five-year period requirement is met.

If you test 100% of your land in 2025, you will not be required to complete soil testing again until 2030, where you will need to test a minimum of 20% of your fields containing improved land. 

Q. How will I confirm what fields I need to test within the scheme? (new)

A. We will identify your improved land on the SAF and will use that to verify annually whether you have met the requirements. If you have improved land that does not  or will not receive any inputs you will need to confirm on the SAF. Those fields will then be removed from the soil testing requirements.

Q. What is the minimum requirement for the soil testing to cover?

A. You will be required to test for, as a minimum, Potassium (K), Phosphorous (P), Magnesium (Mg), pH, and Soil Organic Matter.

Q. How many soil tests do I need to complete for each field parcel? (new)

A. You should check if the soil type is the same across the whole parcel and, if it is, take 25 soil samples in a W shape transect. You should expect one soil test result back for that field parcel. 

If you identify a number of different soil types within a field parcel, then you should take 25 soil samples for each of the different areas. You should expect one soil sample result for each different soil type within that field parcel. 

You should record the soil sample results on RPW online against the field parcel tested, a minimum of 1 test result per parcel is expected to evidence the requirement, but multiple where there are multiple soil types. 

Q. Do I only have to test improved fields that are under my management control and that I claim SFS on in 2026? 

A. Yes, you only need to test improved land under your management control that has not already been tested in the previous 4 years.

Q. If my whole farm is habitat with no improved land that has or may receive inputs, am I still required to soil test? (new)

A. No, you will not be required to complete this Universal Action. 

Q. When will I need to complete my soil testing? 

A. Soil testing will need to be completed by 31 December each year and results uploaded to RPW Online by 15 January of the following year. 

Q. Do I need to upload the actual results or just confirmation I've completed it and retain the results on farm? 

A. You should upload soil testing results to RPW Online. They will be used for national monitoring, not farm-level assessment.

Q. How do I show that I have completed soil testing up to four years prior to entering the scheme? 

A. You will need to confirm which parcels were tested and confirm the date tested via the SFS universal dashboard on RPW Online. You will not need to submit the soil test results, but you should retain them and make them available at inspection, if required. 

Q. If I have tested all of my field parcels which contain improved land prior to entry into SFS but these tests did not include soil organic matter do I have to test all my soil organic matter before the end of the 5-year cycle? (new)

A. If you tested 100% of your field parcels in 2025 (not including soil organic matter) you have met your 5-year requirement, which means you do not need to undertake any more soil testing before the end of 2029. 

Q. Where do I get help or more information about soil testing?

A. Farming Connect can provide information regarding soil testing. 

Q. Do I need an approved or accredited soil tester to complete this action for me? 

A.  No, the requirement has been developed in a way to ensure that you will be able to undertake the testing yourself should you wish to do so. The Universal Payment covers the cost incurred for soil testing. There is no separate payment for any contracted soil testing.

Q. Do I need my soil samples to be tested by an accredited laboratory? (new)

A. Yes, your soil samples must be sent to an accredited laboratory for testing. It is important that all the samples for your farm are sent to the same accredited laboratory to ensure they are treated and analysed identically and are comparable.

The AHDB website lists a range of accredited laboratories where soil samples can be sent for analysis and provides details of companies that can undertake the soil sampling and conduct the laboratory analysis. 

Soil and forage testing companies (on ahdb.org.uk)

Q. Is there a particular time of year I should be undertaking the soil testing?

A. There will be no requirement to complete soil testing at a particular time of year, but we recommend it is undertaken in the autumn. More help and guidance is available from Farming Connect.

Q. Is soil testing funded through Farming Connect eligible to count towards soil testing required for UA1: soil health? (new)

A. Soil testing funded and completed by Farming Connect between 2021 and 2025 will count towards UA1. Soil testing applied for through Farming Connect before 31 December 2025 and completed in 2026 can also count provided all the testing requirements outlined for the UA are fully met. 

After 1 April 2026, Farming Connect will no longer fund soil testing for farmers in SFS, however support will still be available to interpret the results and advise on any appropriate actions.

Q. Is Glyphosate classified as a Plant Protection Product (PPP)? (new)

A. Yes, Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide active substance which is approved for use in Great Britain. 

Q. Is UA2 applicable to my farm if I only use PPP for spot treatment of thistle, nettles, etc. (new)

A. Yes, the use and recording of PPP is already a cross-compliance requirement and will continue under the SFS regulatory baseline. The use of any PPP used should be considered as part of an integrated pest management approach, but your assessment may be shorter and less detailed.

Even if you only use a small amount of PPP each year you are still required to complete the action. 

Q. If I do not own or keep livestock or grow crops, what Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) am I required to complete? Would it be 3 environmental / whole farm KPIs? Or just 1 KPI as the sector requirement irrelevant? (new) 

A. All businesses must complete a minimum of 3 KPIs annually. If you do not own or keep livestock or grow crops, you must complete 3 whole farm KPIs.

Q. What learning counts towards the 6-hour requirement for UA4? (new)

A. Learning through external providers must: 

• meet at least 2 of the sustainable land management objectives
• have clear learning outcomes (the ability to define what a learner will have acquired and will be able to do upon successfully completing the activity)
• have the ability to test learning – either through a formatted assessment, or verbal feedback throughout the activity
• provide confirmation of your attendance, including duration i.e. time taken  

For clarity and consistency, we will accept learning in the same format as those provided through Farming Connect, which will include: 

• discussion groups
• masterclasses
• accredited training
• animal health and welfare workshops
• e-learning
• mentoring

We will not accept attendance at conferences, roadshow events or meetings.

Q. E-learning: is there an allocated time (CPD hrs) for each module rather than actual time taken? (new)

A.  Each e-learning module completion is recorded as 1 hour of learning. The remaining UA4 (CPD) applicable Farming Connect delivered interventions (listed below) have been allocated a “time taken”. Learning hours will be stored on an individual’s Storfa Sgiliau (CPD) record and shared with RPW. 

• accredited training (inc. animal health and welfare workshops)
• Agri Academy
• Agrisgop
• discussion groups
• e-learning
• masterclasses
• mentoring

Q. Will Farming Connect funded animal health and welfare workshops held by vet practices count towards the CPD requirement? (new)

A. Yes. this is accredited training, but only those completed in 2026 will count towards the 6 hours CPD, for the 2026 scheme year.

Q. Does CPD funded by Farming Connect between January and March 2026 count towards requirements? (new) 

A. Any of the e-learning modules available here (on businesswales.gov.wales) completed since 1 August 2025 can count towards the 2026 Scheme Year (but only for that scheme year), businesses can select which to complete. 

Completion of the animal health and welfare modules can also count towards the CPD component of UA4 and UA12 (animal health and welfare) if completed by the appropriate person. The 5-year completion period means that these courses if completed from January 2022 onwards will count for 2026

No other Farming Connect e-learning or delivered activity completed in 2025 (or prior) will count towards UA4 (or UA12). 

All CPD completed through Farming Connect is automatically recorded within Storfa Sgiliau and RPW will be notified of the date completed, course title and duration.

Q. If I am a partner in more than one business does my CPD training count towards both businesses (i.e. can I do 6 hours for all my businesses or do I need to do 6 hours for each business/CRN)? (new)

A. Yes, you will be able to confirm which businesses (CRNs) your completed training and learning count towards. 

We encourage you to share the benefits of your learning throughout the farm business, farm employees and wider family where possible. 

Q. If more than 6 hours of training is completed in the first year, can the additional hours be counted towards the next? (new)

A. No, you must complete a minimum of 6 hours of training in each year you claim SFS. 

Q. How do I know what habitat types I have and where?

A. The data confirmation 2025 form is available on RPW Online until 31 October and is an opportunity for you to confirm the habitat areas and habitat classifications on your farm ahead of the start of SFS. 

Q. Why do I need to keep an activity and stocking diary?

A.  Keeping records of all land management activities is good practice. Keeping a record of grazing, cutting, or any other activity will evidence you’ve taken all reasonable actions to retain and maintain the habitat in the condition expected for that habitat type. You do not need to submit your activity diary, but you will need to make it available at inspection. 

Q. Can I choose which habitat I claim under SFS, like I can for Habitat Wales Scheme 2025?

A. No, the SFS is a whole farm scheme and all habitat on the farm must be claimed and managed in accordance with the universal action requirements. Habitat areas will be confirmed in SAF 2026, following on from the information provided in data confirmation 2025.

Q. What if my farm is almost entirely habitat?

A. If your farm is predominantly habitat, you will be able to request an advisory visit (fast-tracked for those over 90%) to consider any issues, solutions and potential derogations to help you meet the universal action.

Q. How do I request a derogation from any of the habitat management requirements?

A. You should submit a request via RPW Online. Each case will be considered individually. 

Q. Will you allow the supplementary feeding of gamebirds on habitat land? 

A. Yes, gamebirds are not considered livestock for the purposes of SFS. Supplementary feeding of gamebirds in line with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust ‘Sustainable Gamebird Releasing’ guidelines is permitted where birds are lawfully released. 

Q. What land will count towards the 10% habitat requirement (updated)

A. The following, in order set out below, will be used to determine whether you have met the 10% habitat requirement.  

1. All existing semi-natural habitat as defined under UA5: habitat maintenance.
2. Established broadleaf woodland. These are areas of broadleaf woodland of 0.1ha or more.
3. Hedgerows restored or created since 1 April 2022 with Welsh Government support under the Glastir Advanced, Glastir Small Grants or Small Grants Environment schemes.
4. Hedgerows in ‘good condition’.
5. Temporary Habitat under UA6: temporary habitat creation on improved land.

Q. What about new permanent habitats created since 2022 mentioned in the SFS: scheme description document? (new)

A. Yes, these will count towards the 10% habitat requirement. All permanent habitat such as ponds and streamside corridors and areas of woodland of 0.1ha or more created since 2022 and up until the point you submit you SAF 2026, should be confirmed as part of the habitat baseline review on the SAF. 

Q. Do hedgerows recently layed count as habitat? (new)

A. Hedgerows restored (including layed) since 1 April 2022 under the Glastir Advanced, Glastir Small Grants or Small Grants – Environment schemes can count towards the 10% habitat requirement. These hedgerows do not need to meet the definition of a hedgerow in ‘good condition’. 

Hedgerows restored outside of those schemes since 1 April 2022 or any hedgerows restored before 1 April 2022 must meet the definition of a hedgerow in ‘good condition’ in order to count towards the 10% habitat requirements. 

Q. Do wildlife ponds count as habitat? (new)

A. Wildlife ponds up to 1 ha count as habitat. Where an existing pond has a fenced-out buffer area, the whole enclosed area (including buffer and open water) will be included and covered by UA5: habitat maintenance and would count towards the 10%. Irrigation lagoons do not count as habitat and do not count towards 10%.

Q. What established broadleaf woodland is eligible to meet the 10% habitat requirement? (new)

The areas of established broadleaf woodland used for the 10% habitat requirement are defined as:

• woodland or areas of tree canopy, mapped in individual blocks of 0.1 hectares or more, where you have full management control. This area may also include any canopy overhang from neighbouring farms. Individual trees or areas of tree canopy under 0.1 hectares cannot be used to meet the 10% habitat requirement
• areas of broadleaf woodlands established up until the point you submit your SAF 2026. These may not have been included in your SFS data confirmation or SFS map
• ‘established’, means newly planted woodland or groups of trees in the ground. Newly planted woodland does not need to have reached a certain maturity
• ‘broadleaf’, means more than 80% of the area is made up of broadleaf trees. These areas may contain a maximum of 20% conifer and evergreen species throughout

Q. Will ‘willow’ as a species count towards woodland cover and whether it would also count towards the 10% habitat requirement due to being a broadleaved species? (new)

A. Areas of willow in a woodland setting (e.g. Willow Carr, wet woodland) of more than 0.1ha continuous tree cover will fall under the UA9: woodland maintenance requirements and attract the woodland maintenance payment. Such woodlands are considered broadleaved and can also count towards the 10% habitat scheme requirement. If the willow areas are more representative of scrub as described for this habitat type in UA5 then this category should be selected which would attract the habitat maintenance payment. Such habitats count towards the 10% scheme requirement.

Q. What do you mean by hedges in good condition? (updated)

A. The hedge is at least 3m wide and 2m tall (or 2m wide and 3m tall), and:

• stock excluded
• if double fenced, there is a minimum of 3m between double fences, or
• a minimum 2m between double fences were established through Glastir, and
• where gaps total no more than 5% of the length of hedgerow

Q. What is the calculation used to establish an area for hedgerows which can count towards the 10% habitat requirement? (new)

A. We will use the following calculation to establish the habitat area of hedgerows to contribute to the 10% habitat requirement:

• length of hedgerow multiplied by 3 where you have 100% management control
• length of hedgerow multiplied by 1.5 where you confirm you have management control of 50% of the hedgerow (one side)
• the total in metres squared is then divided by 10,000 to give a figure in hectares

For example, a 100-metre-long hedgerow (where you have management control of both sides) is multiplied by 3 to equal 300 square metres. This will equal 0.03 hectares to contribute towards the 10% habitat requirement. i.e. 300m² /10,000 = 0.03ha.

Q. What is the minimum length of hedgerow I can include as hedges in ‘good condition’ to count towards the 10% habitat requirement? (new)

A. Individual lengths of hedgerow confirmed as hedgerows in ‘good condition’ on the SAF 2026 must be at least 20 metres in continuous length, measured along a traditional field boundary. 

Gateways do not form part of the continuous length. Where a gateway is present, either side of the gateway will be considered the start of a new length of hedgerow. 

If gaps total more than 5% of the continuous length, the hedgerow cannot be included. 

Q. How are you going to define a gap in the hedgerow? (new)

A. A gap is defined as a clear void in the vertical profile of the hedgerow (from top to bottom) which is greater than 1 metre in length. This allows for the occurrence of acceptable gaps such as stile access points, incorporated water troughs and shaded areas under hedgerow trees. 

Q. Do hedges in ‘good condition’ that count towards the 10% habitat requirement have to be double fenced?

The requirement is to stock exclude hedges in good condition from livestock to prevent damage. Double fencing with a 3m gap is seen as the main way to achieve this requirement, but other options are also available. 

Q. Does the hedge need to be double fenced where I only have management control on one side? 

You will need to be satisfied that the hedge in good condition is stock excluded on both sides before it can count towards’ the 10% habitat requirement.

Q. Do hedges in good condition need to be double fenced on arable land?

A. No, hedges in good condition do not need to be double fenced on arable land. You will need to ensure livestock cannot access these hedges. Should the management of the adjacent land parcel change, fencing may need to be erected. 

Q. Is electric fencing acceptable for hedges in good condition?

A. Yes, if electric fencing provides stock exclusion, it is acceptable to protect hedges in ‘good condition’. 

Q.  Do hedges in good condition alongside roads need to be double fenced?

A. No, the side of a hedge alongside a public road does not need to be fenced.

Q. How do I tell you about my hedges in ‘good condition’? 

A.  You will have the opportunity to declare your ‘good condition’ hedges on the Single Application Form (SAF) 2026. 

Q. What do I get paid for hedges in ‘good condition’?

A. Costs incurred and income foregone in undertaking hedgerow management will be reflected in the whole farm payment. Hedgerows ‘in good condition’ relate specifically to contributing to the ‘10% Habitat on your farm requirement only. 

Q. How do I know if I meet the 10% habitat requirement? 

A. To get an initial idea, you can divide the habitat areas for your farm by the anticipated total SFS eligible area for your farm e.g. 15ha of habitat / 100ha of eligible land = 15%.

If the result of this calculation is less than 10% you can include the other areas that count towards the 10% habitat requirement such as broadleaf woodland.

Common land does not count towards the 10% habitat requirement. 

Q. How will you check if I meet the 10% habitat requirement? (updated)

A. The SAF will automatically calculate whether you have met the 10% habitat requirement. It will calculate the whole farm area from the field parcel size and any confirmed ineligible features on the land declared. It will then add up the areas declared for each individual habitat criteria and calculate the total habitat area on your farm. It will calculate and confirm if you have met the 10% habitat requirements or not.

You will not be able to submit your SAF until you have met the 10% habitat requirement and will need to include hedges and/or temporary habitat until you have reached the required habitat area.

Q. If I request to remove areas of permanent semi-natural habitat, which are included in the constraints layer, as part of the habitat baseline review on the SAF, how will I know if I’ve met the 10% habitat requirement? (new)

A. When calculating the 10% habitat requirement we will use the habitat position confirmed on the SAF. If you remove habitat on the SAF and fall below the 10% habitat threshold you may need to create temporary habitat to meet the scheme requirement. 

Q. How do I confirm I’ve created a temporary habitat? (updated)

A. If you have insufficient existing habitat on your farm to meet the 10% habitat requirement, you must create additional temporary habitat in accordance with UA6: temporary habitat creation on improved land.

You will have an opportunity to declare any temporary habitat already created and confirm the areas and location of any new temporary habitat that will be created on your SAF 2026.

Q. Can I create extra temporary habitat to increase the value of my habitat maintenance payment?

A. No. Only the temporary habitat area needed and created to meet the 10% requirement is eligible for the habitat maintenance payment. Any temporary habitat created above the 10% requirement will still be included in the whole farm payment.

Q. If I am short of habitat land to make up 10% habitat requirement, can I rent in additional habitat land from a neighbour who has more than sufficient habitat land? (new) 

A. The decision whether or not to rent land is a business decision. We cannot comment on any commercial arrangements. To claim the universal scheme you must have full management control of the land for 10 months of the calendar year and ensure the land meets the requirements of the universal code and universal actions for the full scheme year.  

Q. Can crops sown in Spring/Summer 2026 under the Growing for the Environment Scheme be used to meet the 10% habitat requirement? (new)

A. Yes. Crops supported under that application window can be used to support you to meet the 10% habitat requirement, (with the additional management requirements for mixed ley for instance). This support will only be available as an optional action from June 2026 onwards, and cannot be used to support the creation of temporary habitat to meet the 10% habitat requirements in future scheme years.

Q. If I have established a herbal ley as part of the Growing for the Environment scheme in 2024 or 2025, can I use this ley as temporary habitat for the first years of SFS? (new)

A. Yes, this would be acceptable as herbal ley is regarded a temporary habitat for 3 years.

Q. What about herbal leys established in 2024 and 2025 outside of the scheme? (new)

A. Yes, this would also be acceptable provided the requirements of UA6 have been met and you retain seed labels and related invoices and any other supporting evidence of the activity. 

Q. For UA6: late cut improved grassland, is this applicable to any ley or just a grass ley? (new)

A. This is applicable to a grass ley only and not a multi species ley. 

Q. Who will approve the management plans? (new)

A. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will be approving all designated site management plans. The process will be managed by Welsh Government. 

Q. Why does the data confirmation 2025 form not show the hedges on my farm?

A. The data confirmation form has been developed before the final scheme was signed off by the Deputy First Minister in July and therefore provides details of habitat and tree canopy cover only, as in 2024.

The final policy position and definitions for hedges within this universal action and for those that can count towards 10% habitat will now be considered for SFS maps in 2026.

Q. What hedgerows do I need to manage as part of UA8? 

A.  All hedgerows on your farm, over which you have management control, including your side of a shared boundary, and are managed by cutting or trimming.

Q. How do I confirm which hedges are ones that must meet the requirements for UA8? (updated)

A. You will be asked to confirm all hedges on your farm are managed as per the requirements set out for UA8.You will not be required to identify and confirm individual lengths of hedgerow.

Q. Do I need to have management control of both sides of the hedge for UA8?

A. No, but the hedge on your side needs to be managed in line with the scheme requirements. 

Q. How will you check if I meet the hedgerow management requirements?

A. We will check for hedge trimming, hedgerow trees and incremental growth in the hedge at inspection. We recommend you keep an activity diary detailing any trimming or cutting of the hedges on your farm and make this available at inspection, if required.

Q. If my hedgerow has already grown to a size of 3m x 2m (or 2m x 3m) can I cut or trim it every year? (new)

A. No, hedgerows must only be trimmed every other year, apart from in certain circumstances

Q. Are there any exemptions to the requirement to only cut or trim hedges every other year? (updated)

A. Yes, the following exemptions are permitted to allow you to cut or trim hedges more often than every other year: 

• the hedgerow overhangs a highway, road, track or footpath, and the work is necessary for health and safety reasons
• the cutting or trimming is carried out as part of wider routine ditch maintenance on improved land
• the utility company responsible for the maintenance of any overhanging electricity or telephone lines may cut back trees and / or hedges for safety reason

You should retain evidence, e.g. photographs and/or any letter/emails from the relevant companies or competent authorities that show clearly why it was necessary to cut or trim hedges more often than every other year.  

Q. Can I cut or trim one side of a hedge in one year and the other side of the hedge in the following year to meet the requirements? (new)

A. No, you must not cut or trim the same hedgerow in successive years. 

Q. You want us to maintain or establish at least one hedgerow tree on average per parcel every 50m of hedgerow, what do you mean by this? (updated) 

A. You should maintain or establish at least one hedgerow tree on average per parcel every 50m. For example, a field parcel with a 200m hedgerow boundary, should aim to have 4 hedgerow trees within the hedgerow.  

Either plant new saplings that are at least 1 metre tall, or identify existing plants that can develop into trees

Q. By when do I need to have planted hedgerow trees or identify the hedgerow trees I will allow to grow up to meet the hedgerow trees requirement? (new)

A. You will need to have identified hedgerow trees to allow to grow up by the time the hedgerow is trimmed for the first time since claiming the SFS universal scheme. Alternatively, you should have planted the necessary trees by the end of the first planting season after  you claim for SFS universal (e.g. by 31 March 2027 if you first claim in 2026). 

It is recommended you tag the trees to avoid accidental damage when trimming. 

Q. What species should I plant to meet the hedgerow trees requirement? (new)

A. You should choose native tree species that grow well in local hedges, as they will contribute to an attractive landscape and can increase the wildlife value of the hedgerow. We suggest the following species: 

• Alder
• Cherry (Wild and Bird)
• Rowan (Mountain Ash)
• Aspen
• Crab Apple
• Hawthorn
• Scots Pine
• Birch (Silver and Downy)
• Willow (Crack, Goat and Grey)
• Field Maple
• Lime (small and large leaved)
• White Poplar
• Black Poplar
• Oak (Sessile and Pedunculate) 

For an extensive list of trees native to Wales, see Forest Research’s Using Local Stock for Planting Native Trees and Shrubs (zones 303 and 304 apply). 

Do not plant ash trees due to ash dieback disease.

Q. What about hedgerows in coastal areas where hedgerow trees may not grow and where I might not be able to achieve incremental growth? (new) 

A. Land in coastal areas will not be exempt from planting hedgerow trees if required and at inspection we would expect to see evidence that identified standard trees have not been trimmed. 

There will be no derogation for coastal areas from the requirement to achieve incremental growth in reasonable circumstances. 

Q. Will you allow a derogation from the requirement to establish hedgerow trees where there are ground nesting birds present? (new)

A. We are currently considering a process to allow derogations in these circumstances. Full details will be published in the final scheme guidance

Q. What is the benefit to wildlife by not cutting or trimming hedgerows in successive years?

A. Many woody hedgerow species only produce flowers and fruit on growth that is at least two years old (old wood). By avoiding annual cutting, hedgerows can develop this older woody growth, supporting flowering and fruiting. These provide vital food sources for a wide range of wildlife, including pollinators, birds, and small mammals. Furthermore, allowing hedgerows to become denser, taller, and wider, offers better shelter for livestock and crops and nesting opportunities.

Q. I have a group of trees in a corner of a field, do this count as hedgerow trees which need to maintained or established?

A. No, Individual or group of trees within the land parcel do not count towards these requirements. The tree needs to be within the hedgerow itself to count as a hedgerow tree. Groups of trees need to be managed as set out in the universal code or UA9: woodland maintenance if the area of the tree canopy is greater than 0.1ha.

Q. What is the scheme level target for trees and hedge planting?(updated)

A. We have removed the scheme requirement for 10% tree cover on each farm and replaced it with this UA which we hope will encourage you to plant trees and hedges. Incentive financial support for planting will be available in the optional layer. We believe we can achieve a better outcome and enable us to achieve  , our ambition of at least 17,000ha of new trees through the scheme across Wales by 2030.

Q. Why do I need to consider planting trees when you’ve removed the 10% tree cover requirement?

A. The 10% tree cover rule has been removed and replaced by this universal action. We want to encourage farmers to plant trees and hedgerows to benefit their farming practices and are therefore asking every farmer joining the scheme to create an opportunity plan that shows where they could plant trees, new woodland and/or new hedgerows on their farm.

Q. Why do we have to plant 0.1ha of trees as part of woodland/hedgerow opportunity plan? (updated)

A. We have an ambition for every farm entering the scheme to plant at least 0.1ha of trees by the end of 2028 (or arrangements to plant by 31 March 2029). This is the equivalent of 250 new trees. We will encourage a higher level of planting than this to meet the scheme level targets and recognise the level of planting from each farm will be different. However, we don’t expect farmers to plant trees on their most productive land if they can find less productive eligible land to plant trees on.

Support will be available through the optional layer of the scheme. 

Q. Will newly planted hedgerows count towards the requirement to plant 0.1ha of trees?

A. The planting of new hedgerows can be included in the plan but new hedgerow planting does not count towards the requirement to demonstrate progress towards planting 0.1ha of trees by the end of 2028. 

Q. Where do I complete my opportunities plan? 

A. This will be available for you to complete via RPW Online in 2026.

Q. Does natural regeneration count if I have a fenced off area of 0.1ha or greater? 

A. No, natural regeneration will not count. We expect a minimum of 0.1ha of new tree planting.

Q. What tree species should I plant?

A. You can choose any species suited to your land. If applying via Welsh Government schemes specific conditions will apply. Details will be available in the scheme guidance provided. 

Q. What about woodland I have recently planted? (updated) 

A. Any tree planting undertaken since 1 April 2022 will count towards your 0.1ha of new tree planting requirement.

Q. If I’ve already met my 0.1ha contribution do I still need to complete the opportunity plan? 

A. Yes, everyone entering the scheme must complete the opportunity plan, regardless of any previous planting undertaken on the farm.

Q. How do I tell you about planting I've done since 1 April 2022 outside a Welsh Government scheme? 

A.  You’ll should declare any planting on the SAF.

Q. What if I can’t plant enough trees for some reason? (updated)

A. All farmers should be able to identify at least 0.1ha of potential tree planting opportunities and these should be entered on the plan. This is an indication of potential opportunities for tree and hedgerow planting on the farm and does not give permission to plant or an obligation on you to deliver all the suggested planting. We recognise, in some cases, there may be reasons why you will be unable to plant, e.g. tenancy restriction, or area sensitivities. Further advice will be provided for you in this situation before the Scheme opens.

Q. What if I want to plant on land that’s been classified as habitat land?

A. In such cases, it might be appropriate to get pre-application advice from NRW. However, this should not prevent you from completing and summitting the opportunity plan to show where you would like to create new planting.

Q. Does compensatory tree planting contribute the requirement to plant 0.1ha of trees? (new)

A. No, if compensatory tree planting is required because trees have been illegally felled and you are required to replace the trees, for example, as part of a restock or enforcement notice.

Yes, if compensatory tree planting is necessary as part of a planning requirement, such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), and it is additional to the trees you had prior to the requirement. 

Q. Which vet can do my Animal Health Improvement Cycle (AHIC)? (new)

A. The AHIC should be delivered by the veterinary practice with animals under their care, responsible for prescription medicines and 24-hour care. The practice will be best placed to have knowledge of the existing health status of livestock and with the farmer, be able to use this to understand and identify realistic goals and actions. 

The vet will have to have completed training as part of the quality assurance framework.

Only in the below circumstances can an alternative vet deliver the AHIC:

A veterinary consultant, having completed mandatory training, who routinely gives herd and flock health advice can deliver the AHIC and must report to a member of the veterinary practice with animals under their care.

In exceptional circumstances, where veterinary capacity or capability is limited or if the veterinary practice or individual vet, with animals under their care, has not completed the appropriate training, application for guidance and support from other colleagues may be authorised.

Q. What livestock are covered in a multi sector farm (new)

A. On a mixed farm, the AHIC and biosecurity components should address the species where vet and farmer assess where the AHIC is most appropriate. For the welfare action, only 1 species needs addressing each year, but should address different species each successive year.

Q. Do I need to complete this universal action if I only keep a small number of animals as pets? (updated)

A. UA12: animal health and welfare is applicable to all farms where livestock are reared or farmed to produce food or goods. You will not need to complete this Universal Action if you keep animals only as pets or as part of petting zoo type activities. 

The AHIC element of the universal action will not need to be completed by small-scale enterprises which support farmgate sales (e.g. eggs), or where livestock are kept for private consumption or the private distribution of animals or animal products, petting zoo type activities or animals kept as pets.

Q. I have a mixed farm. Do I only need to do complete an AHIC for cattle and sheep on my farm? (updated)

A. We have focused advice and resources around dairy, beef and sheep farms, but farmers with other livestock species may also be eligible to claim SFS. Poultry, pigs, deer, goats or camelid farmers also need to complete the components of UA12. We anticipate for these units this could be done by a veterinary consultant, but the AHIC and biosecurity templates remains the same. For the animal welfare component, instead of the proficiency modules for body condition and mobility scoring we will require:

• evidence of a veterinary planned animal health programme to manage lameness and body condition on livestock on your farm, with evidence of monitoring scoring activity

Q. Who needs to do an AHIC if the animals are on tack or are off farm under contract, is it the owner, keeper or both? (new) 

A. The ultimate responsibility for completing this universal action rests with the SFS universal scheme claimant. For the AHIC, the registered keeper would be responsible but may delegate to an employee with livestock management responsibility to manage the process. 

For example, if you are the owner of sheep and have moved animals off your holding for wintering/on tack, it is your responsibility to ensure the AHIC is completed whilst the sheep are on tack. 

If you have animals on your land that are not your responsibility (i.e. on tack) you would not be required to complete UA12 actions for them.

Q. If the AHIC steps can take longer than 12 months, when do these need to be completed? (new)

A. The AHIC steps need to be completed in a 12-month window but we appreciate this may be spread across 2 calendar years, but the review step must be done within the 12-month window. For 2026, we expect the ‘measure and plan’ steps to have been completed by end December 2026.

Q. Do I have to share all this information with you? 

A. No. You don’t need to submit the documentation or the results from the plan, you just need to retain the plan on farm. You may be asked to confirm some detail on your SFS dashboard and provide a copy at inspection, if required. 

Q.  I'm part of a farm assurance scheme, does this fulfil the requirements for completing UA12? (new)

A. No. The farmer and vet signed AHIC and biosecurity templates do not form part of a farm assurance scheme. The template guides farmers and vets through a prescribed process that is the verifiable standard of the action to ensure consistency, quality-and impact. The plan also provide assurance that the process has been completed satisfactorily. 

Farm assurance health plans and the AHIC processes are separate but also, potentially synergistic. The processes have different objectives and approaches, and although some aspects may be deliverable at the same time, some vets and farmers involved in our extensive pilot felt they are best being kept separate to enable adequate focus on each.

Q. When do I need to complete my body conditioning and mobility scoring training?

A. We will ask you to complete this by the end of the first year you claim SFS and then once every 5 years after that. 

Q. I have already completed a body conditioning and mobility scoring training in the last 5 years, does this count? (updated)

A. Where qualifying proficiency training in mobility and body condition scoring has already been completed in the previous 5 years and where ongoing annual scoring and recording is carried out, by farm staff or approved ‘mobility mentor’ you may already meet the requirements of this action, providing you can demonstrate evidence. 

You will need to confirm this training via RPW Online. 

Q. Can body and mobility scoring training be completed via e-learning or do I have to physically attend the course? (new)

A . As long as it is a course that is on list of qualifying training programmes, you can complete it as e-learning or attend a physical course.  

Q. How do I get a universal payment on common land? 

A. You can claim your common land rights on the SAF, as you do now for BPS.

Q. How will common land rights be apportioned?

A. Common land rights will be apportioned in the same way as they are now for BPS.

Q. What are the requirements I will need to meet to get a universal payment on common land and what will you check? (updated)

A. You can use common land grazing rights to form part of your universal payment, provided you:

• have the legal right to use that common land for grazing stock
• have the ability to turn out the relevant stock on the common to which you have registered grazing rights
• keep a stocking diary of stock turned onto the common. This should be retained on farm, to be checked at inspection
• follow the SFS regulatory baseline requirements on the common
• have due regard for relevant management which is in place on the common. By this we mean you must not knowingly carry out any activities that compromise existing management agreements in place on the common

Each year we will check that you own/keep at least one livestock type for the common land grazing rights you hold. For example, if you hold common land rights for 200 sheep and 10 cattle, we will check you own/keep at least one of these livestock types. 

• you will not be required to evidence you own all the livestock types or own/keep the equivalent number of livestock as your common land rights
• you will not be required to evidence you have a particular breed of livestock suitable for grazing on common land 

By ‘keep’ we mean you are the registered keeper.  

Q. I have access to an area of sole grazier common, how will I be paid on this? 

A. Sole grazed commons can be registered with Welsh Government and given a field refence number. These are then declared in the same way as enclosed field parcels and you should not declare sole grazed commons in the common land section of the SAF. 

Q. What will the eligibility requirements be for collaborative actions on common land. 

A. Habitat Wales Scheme (HWS) commons 2025 agreement holders will be offered an extension for 2026. We are considering how to support the formation of new grazing associations to enable more common land to be brought into coordinated management from 2027 onwards. Support will continue in 2026 for existing HWS Commons agreement holders. 

Q. What is the SFS universal payment?

A.  The SFS universal payment is made up of a universal baseline payment and a social value payment:

• the universal baseline payment is made up of whole farm payment, paid on all eligible land, of £70/hectare on the first 70 hectares and £2/hectare on the remaining eligible land, and
• additional habitat maintenance payment of £69/hectare, and
• woodland maintenance payment of £62/hectare
• the habitat and woodland maintenance payments are paid on all habitat and woodland not just up to the 10% requirement threshold 

The social value payment of £107/hectare will be paid on all eligible land. 

Those farms who join the scheme in 2026 and have no more than 100 hectares of eligible land, will receive an additional £1,000 as a one-off stability payment in recognition of the transitional costs for smaller farmers. 

A ready reckoner calculator is available on our website to provide an indicative SFS universal payment value for 2026.

Q.  Are SFS universal payments capped?

A. Yes, capping will be applied to the full universal payment value. Capping will start at £25,000, and the capping rate will increase incrementally. There will be 100% capping on any payments calculated over £300,000. 

The ready reckoner calculator is available on our website to provide an indicative SFS universal payment value for 2026. This includes the capping rules.

Q.  Is the capping applied to the full payment?

A. No, capping is only applied to payments over £25,000. For example:

SFS universal payment calculated as £60,000.

• first £25,000 payment not subject to capping
• payment between £25,000 and £50,000 subject to 5% capping rate i.e. £25,000 reduced by 5% equals £23,750
• payment between £50,000 and £150,000 subject to 10% capping rate i.e.  £10,000 reduced by 10% equals £9,000

Total SFS universal payment post capping therefore equals £57,750.  

Q. Will I receive the habitat and woodland payment rates on top of the whole farm payment?

A. Yes, the habitat and woodland rate will be paid on eligible land in addition to the whole farm payment rate. The ready reckoner calculator is available on our website to provide an indicative SFS universal payment value for 2026. This will show the indicative value for the habitat and woodland maintenance payments.

Q. What areas of broadleaf woodland qualify for payment? 

A. Areas of broadleaf woodland over 0.1ha will receive the woodland maintenance payment (in addition to the whole farm payment). 

Individual or groups of broadleaf trees with a canopy area under 0.1ha will not be eligible for the woodland maintenance payment.

Q. Will I get a woodland maintenance payment on woodland planted in Glastir Woodland Creation, Woodland Creation Grant or Small Grants Woodland Creation? (updated)

A. No, woodland areas included in a current planting agreement will not be eligible for a woodland maintenance payment under SFS. However, the area will be included and eligible for the whole farm payment and social value payment. 

However, once your new woodland is no longer eligible for maintenance and premium payments, it may become eligible for the universal woodland maintenance payment.

Q. Do I get a separate payment for my hedges? 

A, No, the whole farm payment covers the costs incurred and income forgone for all universal actions, including UA8: hedgerow management.

Q. Why have you set thresholds for some of the payment rates – 70 hectares for the whole farm payment and 100 hectares for receiving the stability payment in 2026?

A. Several of the universal and scheme requirement costs are fixed or at least not proportionate to the farm size. The consequence is that small farms are likely to need to absorb higher costs per ha compared to larger farms. Smaller farms are generally expected to have less ability to absorb these fixed costs or benefit from economies of scale. For example, 6 hours of continuous professional development (CPD) will cost a small farmer in terms of time/lost income the same as a big farmer.

Q. Does the 100-hectare threshold for receiving the stability payment in 2026 include apportioned area of common land rights in 2026? 

A. Yes, the 100ha threshold will include the apportioned area of common land in 2026, which will be calculated after the SAF has been submitted. We will confirm your 2025 allocation on the BPS 2025 payment letter, if applicable.

Q. Will the stability payment in 2026 form part of the calculation of the capping rate?

A. No, the stability payment in 2026 only, will not form part of the universal payment calculation, and is not included in the capping rates. 

Q. Will the payment rates be the same every year?

A. We expect the payment rates to be set annually as they are now for BPS. They will be determined by the agriculture budget set annually as part of the Welsh Governments annual budget cycle.

Q. When will the universal payments be paid?

A. We plan to make advance payments from October 2026 onwards, in the same way as BPS, with balance payments starting from December, subject to completion of all necessary UAs and final validation of the claim.

Q. When will payments be made for the optional and collaborative layers

A. Payment dates for optional and collaborative elements will vary depending on the type of scheme and actions being undertaken. Further details of the schemes available for 2026 are available on our website.

Q. How do I work out what payment I might receive in SFS in 2026? 

A.  A ready reckoner calculator is available on our website. Farmers can enter whole farm area, habitat area and woodland areas to get an indicative SFS universal payment value for 2026. 

It also allows farmers to enter BPS activated entitlement area/values to give an indicative BPS 2026 value. 

Sustainable Farming scheme: how to complete the ready reckoner is available on our website.

Q. When do I need to decide whether I'm going to claim SFS or BPS and submit a claim?

A. The scheme year operates from 1 January to 31 December, therefore, you will need to meet the requirements of the universal actions, including habitat and woodland maintenance from 1 January. 

However, you have until the 15 May SAF closing date to choose whether to claim SFS or BPS. 

You will need to declare on SAF that you have met the necessary scheme requirements from 1 January.

Q. When do I need to complete all the universal actions?

A. Universal actions will need to be completed by 31 December each year (where applicable).  

Q. How do I notify Rural Payments Wales that I've completed all the universal actions? 

A. You will need to notify us that you are complying or have completed the universal actions, via the annual SAF and by updating the new RPW Online dashboard that is being developed to support the scheme.

You will need to confirm you have completed all applicable universal actions for your farm by 15 January of the following year. 

Q. When will the SFS universal actions dashboard be available on RPW Online? 

A. We aim to have the SFS universal actions dashboard available on RPW Online from June 2026. 

The dashboard will be unique to every farm, based on the universal actions applicable to the farm. The actions applicable to each farm will be identified from the information submitted on the SAF.

You will be able to update the dashboard with details of each universal action as they are completed throughout the scheme year.

Q. What will happen to my payments if I don’t complete all the universal actions or make a mistake? 

A. We are developing a set of verifiable standards and sanction matrix to support the scheme. Our intention is to have a more pragmatic and proportionate response to any genuine errors or mistakes, and we will be working with stakeholders over coming months to design this.

Our intention is to introduce advisory letters rather than financial penalties for minor issues. Serious issues may result in penalties being applied to the universal payment.

Q. You are planning to collect information about my business and my farm. How will you safely store my data? 

A.  All data we collect will be managed securely, sensitively and kept for no longer than is necessary. We will only request and collect data primarily for processing claims and calculating payments. We will, for example not be asking for your data in relation to your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), continuous professional development (CPD) or Animal Health Improvement Cycle (AHIC). 

We may also use or share this data for monitoring evaluation and reporting purposes. Where we need to aggregate data to represent statistics all data will be anonymised.

Further information regarding data disclose and a privacy notice will be published in the full scheme guidance and the annual SAF.

Q. What is the farm level carbon baseline? What do I need to do? 

A.  We intend to use data held by, or available to Welsh Government to assist in the calculation of a farm level carbon baseline for each farm entering the SFS.

This is in line with the recommendation from the Carbon Sequestration Evidence Review Panel and will be developed instead of the original proposal of every farmer completing a carbon calculator tool. More details on this will be available in due course.

Q. What is the SFS ready reckoner?

A. This is a simple calculator tool, available on our website, that allows you to compare indicative payments you may expect to receive in either SFS or BPS in 2026. 

Q. How do I access the SFS ready reckoner? 

A. It is available to view or download from our website.

Q. Why have you decided to taper to 60% in 2026 rather than 80% as you originally proposed? 

A. We have always intended to phase out BPS in recognition that SFS is the future of farm support in Wales. Our original consultation proposed a taper to 60% for BPS 2026. 

We are encouraging farmers to join SFS and to start benefiting from the scheme. We have committed the equivalent of this year’s BPS budget of £238m to cover the 2026 SFS universal layer and BPS taper, providing the same financial stability.

Q. Will I be disadvantaged by claiming BPS in 2026, 2027?

A. Whether to claim BPS or SFS is a business decision. BPS payments will taper annually until they are phased out completely. There will be no BPS in 2029.

Q. If I choose to participate in SFS, why can’t I revert to BPS?

A. SFS is the future of farm support in Wales. BPS is now a legacy scheme and is being phased out over the transition period. The tapered payments are available to ensure no cliff edge to any farmers who choose not to enter the SFS.

Q. Will new entrants to farming be disadvantaged if they do not have the option to obtain BPS entitlements from the National Reserve?

A. New entrants will be able to access SFS directly and will not need BPS entitlement to enter into the scheme.

Q. Can I still transfer BPS entitlements if I pass my farm onto my children?

A. Yes, but BPS entitlements can only be transferred with land and must comply with the rules in place for the 2026 scheme year.

Q. Can BPS entitlements still be transferred via inheritance?

A. Yes, BPS entitlements can still be transferred via inheritance, provided the entitlements are transferred with land. 

Q. If I transfer some but not all of my entitlements out with land, what happens to the rest of them?

A. You will be able to keep the rest of your BPS entitlements not transferred. For example, if you hold 100 entitlements but only transfer out 90 entitlements with 90 hectares of land you will retain 10 entitlements. You can retain these for future use to claim BPS should you have an equivalent area of eligible BPS land. If you enter the SFS, these entitlements would be ‘surrendered’.

Q. Can I transfer or lease out my BPS entitlements for 2027 once I've made a claim for SFS in 2026?

A. No. Once you claim SFS, your BPS entitlements will be ‘surrendered’ and no longer be available for you to claim or transfer for the following scheme year. 

Q. How do I surrender my entitlements? 

A.  You don’t need to do anything. Your entitlements will no longer be available to you, or anyone, once you claim SFS.

Q. I am currently receiving the BPS young farmer payment; can I still receive that payment if I choose to remain in BPS?

A. Yes, if you continue to meet the eligibility criteria whilst BPS is still available.

Q. I'm a young farmer and taking over as head of my holding this year, can I claim BPS young farmer payment next year if I choose to remain in BPS?

A. No, entry to young farmer payment will be closed to new claimants in BPS 2026.

Q. Why have you decided to end the 2-year entitlement usage rule and the claw back of entitlements?

A. This change reflects the phasing out of BPS and ending of the National Reserve.

Q. When will the BPS transfer and lease application window open for 2026?

A. Dates will be confirmed in due course. All transfer and lease with land will need to be completed by 15 May 2026.

Q. Is there a change in the RPW appeals process?

A. No. Following consultation feedback we will be continuing with the same two-stage appeal process. 

Q. Is there a change to the appeal fee?

A. Yes, the Stage 2 appeal fees will increase to cover the costs of the Independent Appeal Panel. The costs from 1 January 2026 will be £290 for an oral hearing, and £220 for a written hearing. If an appeal is accepted in full the fee will be refunded.

The appeal fee will not be increased for appeals related to TB compensation. 

Q. Does the change in fee affect appeals now?

A. This change in fee will apply to all appellants regardless of the scheme being appealed, from 1 January 2026. 

Q. Why are you increasing the fee?

A. The increase in fee is to cover the costs of the Independent Appeal Panel, which is currently £875 per day, for 3 panel members. The panel can consider three oral appeals or four written appeals in a day. No Welsh Government costs will be included in the fee.