The deadline for Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) amendments is today, Tuesday 31 May. After this date, amendments involving the addition of agricultural parcels or amended claimed areas will be subject to a 1% penalty per working day, with the final date for acceptance of 10 June 2016.

This penalty will be applied to the additional parcel(s) declared on the amendment form.

The exception to this is a correction to what the DAFM refers to as an obvious or innocent error (for example, missing details such as land ownership or parcel use).

Further information is available on the amendment form and also in the BPS terms and conditions received earlier this year with paper application forms.

Application process

Amendments can be made to a BPS application online or through hard copy. This route can also be used to claim for the Areas of Natural Constraint where applicants forgot to tick the box on hard copy or online applications. Forms can be downloaded under the farming schemes and payments section on the Department's website here.

Amendments and any supporting documentation should be posted to BPS Co-Ordination Unit, DAFM, Government Buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois. As with all official BPS documentation, the Department advises sending via registered post, with this facility the only accepted proof of postage.

Aine Hennessy contributed reporting to this story

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