DAERA Minister Muir urges farmers to submit their 2026 Single Application by 15 May

Date published: 6 May 2026

Applications submitted after this date will be subject to late claim penalties, although amendments to submitted claims may be made up until the 09 June 2026.

Minister Muir said: “I encourage farmers to submit their Single Applications by midnight on 15 May. Significant funding is available for farm businesses through the Single Application which helps strengthen their resilience, protects the environment and supports long term food production across Northern Ireland.

“This year sees the introduction of the Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) under the Sustainable Agriculture Programme. FSP brings several key changes including new Farm Sustainability Standards replacing Cross-Compliance, new land eligibility rules, progressive capping and conditionalities on participation in the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme and Bovine Genetics Project.”

Minister Muir emphasised the importance of timely submissions: “Completing applications ahead of the deadline ensures you will avoid late claim penalties.”

Farmers can buy, sell or lease payment entitlements for 2026 up until 15 May by logging into their DAERA Online Services account. Any entitlement transfers via lease for 2026 will be restricted to one year only. 

For a farm business to retain all its entitlements under FSP, it mustsubmit a valid FSP claim of at least 3 hectares and activate at least 3 entitlements for payment.  If these conditions are not met, there is a risk the business will lose all its entitlements.

If a business is not eligible for FSP in 2026 it must transfer all its entitlements permanently by sale or gift by 15 May 2026 or they will expire.

The Single Application is used to claim any of the following schemes:

• Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme (FSP);
• Young Farmers’ Payment (YFP);(not open to new applicants)
• Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS);
• Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (FWPS);
• Farm Woodland Scheme (FWS);
• Forest Expansion Scheme (Annual Premia);
• Small Woodland Grant Scheme (SWGS); and
• Protein Crop Scheme.

Farmers should also use the Single Application and Map Service to notify DAERA of any changes to their land in 2026.

If a farm business has queries about their 2026 Single Application which are preventing them from submitting, or requires assistance with completing and submitting their application, please contact the team via email at: agriculturalandenvironmentalschemes@daera-ni.gov.uk, without delay. Alternatively, call the Grants and Funding number on 0300 200 7848 and ask for Payment Delivery Branch. Staff will be available throughout the application window to provide support, helping ensure applications are accurate and submitted on time. 

Scheme updates will continue to be sent via DAERA Message; farm businesses should regularly check their email (including Junk folders) or log into the DAERA Customer Portal to stay informed. DAERA advises all farm business members to register for a DAERA online account through NIDA or Government Gateway, even if using an agent, so everyone can access communications.

More information on the Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme is available at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/topics/agricultural-environmental-schemes. 

Further information on the Sustainable Agriculture Programme is available at: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/topics/sustainable-agriculture-programme.