Who is eligible for Rural Support Plan 2026-2031 (Scotland)?

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

What is the deadline for Rural Support Plan 2026-2031 (Scotland)?

This is a rolling scheme with no fixed deadline.

Rural Support Plan 2026-2031 (Scotland)

Scottish Government / Rural Payments and Services

Description

Scotland's post-Brexit replacement for EU Common Agricultural Policy support (including the Basic Payment Scheme), delivered under the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 as a four-tier framework: Tier 1 (Base) provides direct area payments to active farmers and crofters, initially continuing to use the existing Basic Payment Scheme mechanism while it is developed further; Tier 2 (Enhanced) is being phased in from 2026, building on the former greening top-up with additional climate/nature requirements; Tier 3 (Elective) funds targeted actions — habitat creation, species protection, agroforestry, organic conversion — currently delivered mainly through the existing Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS); and Tier 4 (Complementary) funds training, advice, and community-led rural development. Around 70% of funding continues to flow through direct payments, giving farmers five years of relative certainty under the plan.

Amount

Direct area payments (Tier 1, using the existing BPS-style rate structure) plus additional Tier 2-4 payments as they phase in; exact per-hectare rates depend on entitlements and tier

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

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

Notes: Apply annually via the Single Application Form (SAF) through Rural Payments and Services (ruralpayments.org) — the exact SAF window (typically opening around March and closing in May) should be checked for the current year rather than assumed. Not to be confused with the now-closed, unrelated Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS), a legacy ammonia/water-quality capital scheme that ended in 2022.
Requirement: Active farmer or crofter in Scotland meeting essential standards (Cross Compliance / Whole Farm Plan) for Tier 1 direct payments; Tier 2-4 support has its own additional criteria per tier, phasing in through 2026 and beyond.

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How to apply

Apply annually via the Single Application Form (SAF) through your Rural Payments and Services online account; Tier 3 Elective actions are currently accessed mainly through the separate Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) application route.

View official source

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