The Rural Payments service and land parcels explained: check your maps before SFI

What is the Rural Payments service?

The Rural Payments service is the Rural Payments Agency's (RPA) website for farmers in England. You use it to register your business and keep your details up to date. You also use it to register land and apply for schemes the RPA runs. Examples are the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Capital Grants (register rural land (opens in a new tab)).

To use it for the first time, call the Rural Payments helpline on 03000 200 301. You get a customer reference number (CRN) and a security code to set up a password. Then you register your business. That gives it a Single Business Identifier (SBI), your farm business number (register and update your details (opens in a new tab)). See what is an SBI number?.

What is a land parcel?

The RPA says a land parcel is an area of land that is both "surrounded by a permanent boundary" and "0.01 hectares or more". For each parcel you register two things: its total area, set by its permanent boundary, and its land covers (register rural land (opens in a new tab)). "Permanent" means you expect the boundary to be there for at least 3 years.

Parcel IDs are written as 2 letters followed by 8 numbers, for example AB1234 5678 (add land service (opens in a new tab)).

What is the difference between a land cover and a land use?

A land cover says, in broad terms, what covers the ground. The RPA registers it on your digital maps. There are 3 farming land covers: arable land, permanent grassland and permanent crops. There are also non-farming ones, such as farmyards, woodland and ponds. A land use is the detail of how you use the land, such as winter wheat. You declare it with a land use code in the Rural Payments service (scheme rules, section 5.1.2 (opens in a new tab)).

Updating one does not update the other. Land use codes are listed in the RPA's land use codes for rural payments (opens in a new tab) document.

Why do land covers matter for SFI?

You can only put a field into an area-based SFI action if two things are true. Its registered land cover must be allowed for that action. And your declared land use codes must fit that land cover and cover the same area. If they don't match, you can't pick that field in your application (scheme rules, section 5.1.2 (opens in a new tab)).

To start an SFI26 application, you also needed at least 3 hectares of farmland linked to your SBI. Farmland here means land registered as arable, permanent grassland or permanent crops (sections 3.1 and 3.4 (opens in a new tab)).

What should I check on my digital maps before applying?

The scheme rules warn that out-of-date maps "may prevent you from applying". Before you start an application, check that your digital maps show (section 7.2 (opens in a new tab)):

• at least 3 hectares of agricultural land;
• every land parcel you want to include;
• the correct total area for each parcel, in hectares;
• land covers that match what's on the ground now.

You don't need to check or update the hedge lengths on your maps. They are not used in an SFI application (section 7.2 (opens in a new tab)). See hedgerows and buffer strips in SFI26.

How do I ask the RPA to change my land parcels?

Sign in to the Rural Payments service with your CRN and password. From business overview, select Land, then Request rural land change, then the type of change (RPA guidance (opens in a new tab)):

For each request, enter the date the change should start. Pick the schemes it relates to, and agree to the declaration. Sketch maps must be 10MB or less, in jpg, jpeg, png, pdf, docx or doc format. Give them a short file name of letters and numbers only (RPA guidance (opens in a new tab)).

• Can't go online? Use the RLE1 form (opens in a new tab) instead.
• Parcel already registered but not showing on your SBI? Email the RPA with "add land" in the title, using the add land service (opens in a new tab). Don't use it to register a parcel for the first time.
• Sold, leased or stopped farming a parcel? Use Land, then Transfer land. The RPA says not to use this for land in a scheme you're already in, as it may cause payment problems (RPA guidance (opens in a new tab)).

How long do RPA mapping changes take?

The GOV.UK guidance we checked doesn't say how long it takes. The scheme rules ask you to request updates "as soon as possible". They warn that map updates may affect any ELM (Environmental Land Management) agreements you already have (section 7.2 (opens in a new tab)). Waiting on a change? Contact the RPA at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk or on 03000 200 301.