Farmers contesting older subsidy decisions in Wales will face higher costs from the New Year. Welsh Ministers have amended the 2006 appeals rules for agricultural subsidies and grants, clearing the way to set higher Stage 2 fees on legacy CAP and Basic Payment Scheme cases from 1 January 2026. The regulations were scheduled for Senedd approval on 2 December ahead of being made this week.

Welsh Government guidance confirms Stage 2 fees will rise to £290 for an oral hearing and £220 for a written hearing from 1 January 2026, applied to all appellants regardless of scheme. Stage 1 remains free. TB compensation appeals are exempt from the increase. Officials say the change reflects the daily cost of the Independent Appeals Panel-currently £875 for three panel members, typically handling three oral or four written cases in a day.

For now, the Welsh appeals process still charges £100 for an oral hearing or £50 for a written review at Stage 2, with those fees refunded if the appeal is wholly or partly successful. From January, refunds will be made only where an appeal is accepted in full, tightening the current position. The submission deadline remains 60 days.

This legal change sits alongside Wales’s broader shift from CAP-era support to the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023 and the Sustainable Farming Scheme due to start in 2026. In parallel, Senedd scrutiny has also covered the tapering and closure of BPS by the end of 2028, under separate regulations.

There’s a clear cross-border angle for Northern readers. England does not charge for many scheme appeals (including SFI and Countryside Stewardship), and where fees do apply to BPS appeals they range from £100 to £450 depending on the value of the dispute. From January, a Welsh Stage 2 appeal will cost £220–£290 across schemes-more than many English equivalents and applied more widely.

For mixed or upland family farms selling stock into Cheshire and Cumbria markets, the difference matters. If you’re weighing up a written versus oral hearing, factor in the new Welsh charges, any agent costs, and the likelihood of a full win given refunds will no longer be available on partial success. Keep evidence organised and watch the 60‑day clock.

Responsibility for delivering these changes sits with Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca‑Davies. His department has linked the fee rise to covering panel costs rather than wider government overheads. Farmers will want to see the promised cost transparency reflected in updated appeals guidance before the New Year.

Bottom line for the region: Welsh appeals on old CAP and BPS disputes will no longer be capped at £100, and new flat fees will apply across schemes from 1 January 2026. Cross‑border businesses should budget accordingly and, where possible, resolve issues at Stage 1-still free-before deciding whether a Stage 2 hearing is worth the outlay.