Who is eligible for Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) — Northern Ireland?

Available in: Northern Ireland. Applicant must be a registered business. Most relevant to: Agriculture & Fisheries.

What is the deadline for Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) — Northern Ireland?

This is a rolling scheme with no fixed deadline.

Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) — Northern Ireland

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)

Description

Northern Ireland's replacement for the EU Basic Payment Scheme: an annual direct area payment to active farm businesses, phased in via the Farm Sustainability Transition Payment (2025) before the full Farm Sustainability Payment took effect from 1 January 2026. The 2026 scheme introduced a Historic Years Exercise (recalculating entitlement history), progressive capping of payments above £60,000, new land eligibility rules, and a move from EU-style cross-compliance to a domestic 'Conditionalities' framework. It sits alongside DAERA's wider Sustainable Agriculture Programme, which also funds environmental top-ups such as the Farming with Nature Transition Scheme (a separate entry in this directory).

Amount

Annual direct area payment per hectare (rate set annually, with progressive capping above £60,000 per business)

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

Available in: Northern Ireland.
Applicant must be a registered business.
Most relevant to: Agriculture & Fisheries.

Notes: Payments above £60,000 are progressively capped rather than paid at the full flat rate. The 2026 Single Application deadline (15 May 2026) has passed for this year — apply for the next scheme year via DAERA Online Services when the window reopens.
Requirement: Active farm business in Northern Ireland with a DAERA Business Identification Number and eligible land/entitlements, applying annually via the Single Application (SAF).

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How to apply

Apply annually via the Single Application (SAF) through DAERA Online Services (www2.daera-ni.gov.uk) — the 2026 deadline was 15 May 2026; check DAERA's website for the next scheme year's window.

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Last verified: 23 August 2026. See the footer disclaimer — this is general information, not financial or tax advice.