Around 1,000 farming businesses – amounting to more than 5% of claimants – are still awaiting their 2016 Basic Area Payment from the Scottish Government. Since the EU deadline for all payments passed at the end of June, an average of 114 claimants have been paid each week. At this rate, it will be October before all 971 remaining payments have been made.

NFU Scotland chief executive Scott Walker said that while the majority of claimants had been paid, this would be of no comfort to those still waiting for their sum.

“Looking forward to next year, people are looking for a payment timetable so that they can forward plan. The difficulties and problems of the system are well documented and most people just want confidence in future,” he said.

One farmer who is still waiting for his 2016 payment told Farmers Journal Scotland that he was “running out of patience. I’m supposed to get my money by the end of this week: four months after the original problem arose, and 14 or 15 months after the forms went in. It’s a disgrace,” he said.

Farmers in Northern Ireland could be receiving their 2017 payments from 16 October, as their Department of Agriculture has confirmed it intends to make advance payments from that date.