Farmers struggling to care for ill family members still waiting on BPS cash

“We had 219 calls this January. In January 2017, we had 170, so the number has gone up.”

One farmer who reached out to FG, David Williams, Gloucestershire, has been suffering because his straightforward claim had still not been processed.

“I am having difficulties with cash flow,” he said.

“My wife has advanced Parkinson’s and needs a part-time carer we are struggling to pay for.

“We have had no mapping issues or anything. The whole thing smacks of incompetence.”

Another caller, Sarah Hunt, a small farmer on the edge of the New Forest, is going through a similar struggle as her husband fights cancer.

“There is nothing complex about our claim, we usually get paid in December,” she said.

“It is only worth about £1,400, which may not be a lot to others, but it is to us when rent is due and our heating bills are up.

“We also have increased feed bills because of the wet weather.”

An RPA spokesman said: “As in every year, there are some claims in the pipeline and some which require more complex processing so take longer to complete.

“Any farmer who does not receive a payment by the end of March 2018 will be provided a bridging payment in early April.”

• If you are in severe financial difficulties due to missing BPS, call the Farming Community Network helpline for confidential advice on 03000 111 999.