Rural Support Plan (RSP) - Annex
The Rural Support Plan as required in terms of s2 of the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 outlining the expected use by Scottish Ministers during the plan period of the powers conferred on them by s6 of the Act - support within the four tier framework
Less Favoured Area Support Scheme
Less Favoured Area Support Scheme - RP&S guidance
Description
Additional support payment to assist businesses farming in upland and constrained rural areas, minimum payment of £385, reductions for degressivity applied to claimed areas over 4000 ha
Purpose
The Scottish Government is committed to a thriving rural Scotland and to ensuring support for those farming and crofting in the most marginal and challenging areas of Scotland. 86% of Scotland’s agricultural area is designated as Less Favoured Areas. Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments compensate farmers and crofters for income foregone and additional costs linked to natural constraints allowing them to continue to operate as viable businesses and contribute to their local communities and economy whilst also helping maintain the countryside through continued agricultural land use and sustainable farming systems
Contribution to Strategic Outcomes
High Quality Food Production
- LFASS helps sustain Scottish livestock which in turn sustains the wider supply chain and associated jobs
- Cross Compliance conditions regulate land, plant and animal health and welfare facilitating high quality output
Enabling Thriving Rural Communities
- LFASS provides essential support for businesses farming in upland and constrained rural areas where farming is more difficult, facilitating continued business viability and land use and, in turn, supporting rural communities and the rural economy
- LFASS facilitates the use of upland and constrained rural areas for farming
Method
Application via Single Application Form (SAF)
Key dates
Annual, application window 15 March to 15 May, payment window in December the same year
Eligibility
- You must be an active farmer or crofter
- The land must: be Severely Disadvantaged or Disadvantaged within the area classed as Less Favoured Areas (LFA); be forage land and have the IACS land use codes allowed for LFASS; have a grazing category value; be available and accessible for your use for maintaining livestock, or producing a forage crop, for at least 183 days in the LFASS claim year (including 15 May)
- Available Scotland wide for land designated a Less Favoured Area
Requirements
- You must actively farm the land claimed for LFASS for the majority of the year
- You must carry out an agricultural activity on your land connected with grazing or feeding farmed livestock
- You will be subject to inspections
Baseline payment information
Budget circa £65.5M
No. of recipients circa 10,000
Contact
Email: CAP.SRDP.Policy@gov.scot