PLEASE NOTE - THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED.
An updated version is available here.
The Scottish Government is in the process of submitting a number of modifications to the EC to enhance the current Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). These modifications include changes to some of the Rural Priorities grants available, which should further help with the delivery of some of the objectives of the SRDP.
The Rural Priorities Options affected by the change in grant amounts available are as follows:
The details of the change to the grants available for these Options will not be published or adapted until the modifications to the SRDP have been agreed by the EC and the changes made to domestic legislation.
If you have a Proposal which has been approved for funding prior to these changes taking effect, you can request a variation to your Contract. If the variation is accepted, you will be issued with a revised Contract enabling you to proceed with the work based on the revised grant rates/amounts.
Please note - a variation can only be accepted if work has not started. If work related to the Proposal has already commenced, all claims will be paid based on the payment rates that were in operation at the time of approval. You will only be entitled to claim for the new grant rates if you do not start the proposed work until a revised Contract has been signed and returned to your Case Officer.
Examples:
- If you applied for grant towards costs totalling £3,000 for providing drainage for a path under the Area Access Management Option, the grant available to apply for would be £500. The grant for this Option is 75% of the eligible actual costs, limited to £500 per item. If the modifications are approved, the limit of £500 per item will be removed. In this example, it would give a new potential grant amount of £2,250 (£3,000 eligible costs x 75% grant rate). You would only be entitled to claim the additional £1,750 if you did not start work on the path until a revised Contract had been signed and returned to your Case Officer.
- If you applied to put up a 650 metre deer fence under the Woodland Improvement Grant Option, you would currently be entitled to apply for a grant of £3,139.50 towards this (650 metres x £4.83 per metre). If the modifications are approved, the new payment rate for the deer fence, at 100% of the standard cost, will be £6.90 per metre. In this example, it would give a new potential grant amount of £4,485 for putting up the 650 metre deer fence. You would only be entitled to claim at the new payment rate, which could provide an additional £1,345.50, if you did not start work on the deer fence until a revised Contract had been signed and returned to your Case Officer.