Poultry Biosecurity Review funding: guidance for poultry keepers and vets
Poultry keepers can get funding for 3 biosecurity reviews at each of their sites. Each site must hold a minimum number of chickens, ducks, geese or turkeys.
Applies to England
How the scheme works听
The听Poultry Biosecurity Review (PBR) scheme听forms part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.听
Animal health and welfare review听funding is also听available听for听cattle,听pig听and sheep farmers.
If you鈥檙e a poultry keeper, these are the steps you need to take:
1. Apply for an agreement
Use this guidance to check that you can apply for a PBR agreement.
Each single business identifier (SBI) will have one agreement, which can include:
- any eligible species
- 尘耻濒迟颈辫濒别听辫辞耻濒迟谤测听蝉颈迟别蝉听
You should read the听terms and conditions听before you apply.听
Applications close on听30 September 2028.
2. Arrange听a听biosecurity听review听with a vet
You can only听arrange听a review听when听your听PBR听agreement is in place.听
You听can choose the vet听you听use.听If听you鈥檙e听a poultry keeper who听is a听vet, you听cannot carry out听your听own reviews.听
Reviews must be completed by 31 December 2028.
3. Claim听funding
You听can claim 拢430 for each review.
The听vet听needs to听fill in听a听PBR听vet summary sheet听before you can make a claim.听You鈥檒l听be asked to provide听the听information听from the summary听when听claiming.听
Funding听is听available听until听the听scheme听closes on 31 March 2029.听
Who can apply听
You鈥檙e听eligible for funded biosecurity reviews if听you听keep听any听of the following:听
-
1,000听or more听chickens (breeders, broilers, egg听layers听and pullets)听
-
500听or more听ducks听
-
500听or more听geese听
-
500听or more听turkeys听
Species numbers cannot be combined, for example 200 ducks and 300 turkeys.听
You do not听need to听be the听owner of听the听birds.听
You听can apply if:听
-
your business has an SBI linked to county parish holding (CPH) numbers听registered in England
-
your poultry site is registered in England
How many claims you听can听make听
You听can organise听reviews听for听any of听your听sites听when听you have听a听PBR agreement in place. Each site must听be in a separate听CPH.听
You can arrange听another听review听for听a听site听if听a minimum of 10 months听has passed听since the听site was听last reviewed.
You can claim for a听maximum of 3 reviews听on听each site.听拢430 can be claimed for each review.听
All reviews must be completed by 31 December 2028.听
础辫辫濒测听辞谤听肠濒补颈尘听蹿耻苍诲颈苍驳听
Use听the 鈥楪et funding to improve animal health and welfare鈥櫶齭ervice听to:听
-
apply for a听PBR听补驳谤别别尘别苍迟听
-
make听a听claim, using the information from the vet鈥檚 summary听
Once you have an agreement in place, 拢430 can be claimed for each review.
You鈥檒l听need your Rural Payments service customer reference number (CRN) and password to sign in.
What听a听vet needs听to do听on a review听
A听review is complete when the vet has:听
-
done a biosecurity assessment听
-
downloaded and filled in听a PBR听vet summary sheet
-
written听a report of the assessment and recommended actions听
The poultry keeper must be responsible for听the welfare of听the听birds when the vet does a review.
A review can take place even if the site is empty.听
Before a biosecurity assessment听
When planning a visit, the vet should take into account any relevant avian influenza prevention zones (AIPZs) or disease control zones.
Up-to-date information can be found on the latest bird flu situation in England.
During a听biosecurity assessment听
The vet鈥檚听assessment听should听include:听
-
颈苍蹿谤补蝉迟谤耻肠迟耻谤别听补苍诲听濒辞肠补迟颈辞苍听
-
organisation of听site听and听supply of materials听
-
惫颈蝉颈迟辞谤蝉,听辫别谤蝉辞苍苍别濒听补苍诲听丑测驳颈别苍别听濒辞肠办蝉听
-
buying in poultry听
-
depopulation听and听off-farm movement of birds听
-
transportation听and听management听of eggs听
-
feed听and听water supply听
-
尘补苍耻谤别听补苍诲听肠补谤肠补蝉蝉听谤别尘辞惫补濒听
-
disease management听
-
肠濒别补苍颈苍驳听补苍诲听诲颈蝉颈苍蹿别肠迟颈辞苍听
-
measures between compartments听and听houses
Vets听can听use free online tools to help听with听assessments,听such as听听补苍诲听迟丑别听.
If the site is empty, the vet must assess its capacity to hold the minimum number of relevant听poultry.听Stocking densities are听based on听the听following听codes听of practice for:
After a biosecurity assessment听
After听the vet has assessed the site,听they need to听give听the poultry keeper听2听separate听documents:
1. A听PBR听vet summary,听using听the听sheet provided
The vet must download and fill in听a听PBR听vet summary sheet.听
The details given in the vet鈥檚 summary will be used to make a claim.听A claim听may听not be successful if听information听is听missing听or听the form has been听incorrectly filled in.听
The Rural Payments Agency听(RPA)听may ask听to be sent听the听vet summary when processing a claim.听
2. A written report
The vet must also give the poultry keeper a听written report听of听their听assessment, which includes听any听recommended actions.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and听the听RPA will not ask to see the听written听report.
Contact us
Contact the RPA听if you听cannot apply online听or听have a question about your application听or claim.听
You can scan and attach documents in an email and send them to us. Or you can post them to our address. You should:听
-
use 鈥業AHW 鈥� PBR鈥� in the email subject heading听
-
put your SBI and PBR agreement number on everything you send to us听
Write to:听
Rural Payments Agency
PO Box 352
Worksop
S80 9FG听
Email:听ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk
Telephone: 03000 200 301听鈥撎齅onday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm, except public holidays听
Find out about call charges.