Draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2026

Parliament voted on 3 June 2026 to approve the Draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2026, which set the rate at which direct farm subsidy payments will be cut in England for 2026 and 2027. The regulations passed by 302 votes to 155. They impose reductions of up to 98% on the first tranche of payments farmers previously received, limiting payouts on the first £30,000 tranche to a maximum of £600 per year by 2026. The vote accelerates the phase-out of delinked payments, the successor to EU-era direct subsidies paid to landowners largely based on land area, with the aim of redirecting that money to environmental land management schemes (ELMS) that reward sustainable food production, soil health, pollinator recovery and nature restoration. Supporters argue the old subsidy model failed to address underlying farm profitability and environmental challenges. Critics warned that replacement schemes are not yet fully available or adequately funded, creating what the Liberal Democrats described as a "cliff edge" for farmers already facing rising costs from fuel, fertiliser and increased employer national insurance contributions. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 294 Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted backed the regulations, as did the four Green MPs and a handful of smaller party and independent MPs. All 91 Conservative MPs who voted, all 51 Liberal Democrats, all five Reform UK MPs and all five Democratic Unionist Party MPs voted against. There were no notable cross-party rebellions in either direction.