WIREDGOV

Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, has announced that Welsh Government offices in Carmarthen, Llandrindod Wells and Caernarfon will operate extended opening hours from 6 May to help farmers ensure their Single Application Forms (SAFs) are completed correctly.

The extended opening, which includes the weekend of May 9 and 10, will also provide farmers access to computers and an offer of dedicated one-to-one support.

The Deputy Minister said:

“I am conscious that any delay to the receipt of SAFs would inevitably have knock-on impacts to part payments to all applicants under the Basic Payment Scheme and to payments on existing land-based rural development schemes.

"This coupled with the importance of cash-flow for farm businesses is the reason that Wales will be sticking with the original deadline of May 15th, and why I am encouraging farmers to get on with submitting their forms.

“While our online service is working very well, I appreciate that the new SAF could well take longer to complete this year and am hopeful this additional assistance will help those farmers who have yet to submit their forms meet the 15 May deadline.”

We have received nearly seven thousand applications so far, the vast majority of which have been submitted online.

Use of computers is by appointment only and farmers are asked to book their place with the Customer Contact Centre as soon as possible as places are filling up quickly. Staff will also be on hand for those who have filled in the paper SAF, to check for any basic errors. The online service carries out the same checks automatically.

The Rural Payments Wales Customer Contact Centre is also operating extended opening hours for those who would like advice by telephone, email or via the online messaging service.

Customer Contact Centre telephone number: 0300 062 5004.

• The extended opening hours of the Customer Contact Centre and Carmarthen, Llandrindod Wells and Caernarfon offices are as below: