86,500 English farmers have now received their Single Payment Scheme payments.

The Rural Payments Agency has made full Single Payment Scheme payments amounting to £1.31 billion in the payment window which opened on 1 December.

This represents just over 70 per cent of the estimated total fund value of £1.86 billion and 80 per cent of the total estimated claimant number of 107,500 farmers.

Chief Executive Tony Cooper said: "I’m delighted that we have been able to make these payments to farmers so quickly. We understand the importance of getting payments out into the industry and the agency will continue to focus on the remaining claims to make as many payments as quickly as possible.”

Historically, English farmers receive payments weeks or months after their Scottish or Welsh counterparts. The Scottish Government announced earlier this week that 75 per cent of farmers had been paid, while the Welsh Assembly Government said 82.5 per cent of claimants would receive payments by the end of the week.

Last year only around 21,000 farmers in England were paid just over £700 million by 16 December 2008.