More than 15,000 farms across Wales received a share of £161million this week.

Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) advance payments were made on Friday, October 14, with 97 per cent of claimants receiving a payment worth 70 per cent of their estimated claim value.

This is the second year Rural Payments Wales is making automatic BPS advance payments in October. Before 2021, BPS payments commenced from 1 December annually.

Full and remaining balance BPS 2022 payments will be made from 15 December 2022, subject to full validation of the BPS claim.

It is expected all but the most complex BPS claims will be fully validated, and payments made before the end of the payment window on 30 June 2023.

Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said: “Following the simplification of BPS requirements, advance payments have been made prior to December which provides financial certainty to farm business during this extremely challenging time.

“In addition, here in Wales we have maintained the BPS budget at £238m, the same level as last year.

“Full and remaining balance BPS 2021 payments will be made from 15 December and my officials will again this year be working hard to make these payments to as many farmers as possible early in the payment window.”