Customer and land registration

 

From April 2008, applicants for EWGS must be registered on the Customer Register (CR) and the land on the Rural Land Register (RLR).  A guide explaining further details and transition arrangements is available (Operations Note 019 - Customer and Land Registration (PDF 52kb)).

The Customer Register links information about our customers and their relevant business activities. It gives each business a Single Business Identifier (SBI) and each person within that business a unique Personal Identifier (PI). A person will only have one PI even if they represent more than one business. Your PI will be used by other agencies as a well as the Forestry Commission, for example Natural England, so you only need to register once.

Registering land on the RLR ensures every parcel of land has a unique reference. When approving RDPE grants and payments, these unique references allow us to check you are eligible for grant and there is no double funding. Woodland owners cannot register land on the RLR until they are on the Customer Register.

What applicants need to do

Application forms and guidance can be obtained from the RPA by either:

• phoning 0845 603 7777,

• writing to the Rural Payments Agency, PO Box 1058, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE99 4YQ,

• going to the RPA Customer registration web page or

• going to the RPA Registering land web page

For customer registration, original forms should be sent back to the Newcastle office (address above). The RPA will reply to applicants notifying them of their SBI; each person associated with that business will also receive their PI.

The registers must be kept up to date at all times. Customers must notify RPA of any changes in circumstances that arise.