Guide

Join the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway

How to join the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, a government programme that funds annual vet reviews and endemic disease follow-ups for livestock keepers in England. Covers eligibility, payment rates by species, and how to book and claim.

UK-wide

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is a government programme that pays livestock keepers in England to improve the health and welfare of their animals. It funds annual vet visits and follow-up work on endemic diseases such as Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), and parasitic conditions in sheep.

The Pathway is voluntary, but joining it brings practical benefits beyond the payment itself. A funded vet review helps you identify health issues early, reduce antibiotic use, and improve productivity. It also supports farm assurance requirements and demonstrates your commitment to animal welfare standards that buyers and supply chains increasingly expect.

What the Pathway offers

The Pathway has two funded activities. You must complete an annual review before you can access the endemic disease follow-up.

The annual health and welfare review

The annual review is the first step in the Pathway. A vet visits your farm, carries out disease testing specific to your livestock type, reviews your biosecurity measures, and provides a written report with health priorities and recommendations.

You choose which vet to use. They must be registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and can be from your regular practice or a vet who offers the review service. The review must take place on your farm, and the vet must spend the minimum required time with your animals.

You can have one funded review every 10 months. If you keep more than one species, you can have a separate review for each eligible species.

How the Pathway connects to other schemes

The Pathway sits alongside other government schemes and industry programmes:

  • Farm assurance schemes: Red Tractor, RSPCA Assured, and other schemes require regular vet visits and health planning. Your Pathway review can count towards these requirements, reducing duplication
  • Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI): You can hold an SFI agreement and participate in the Pathway at the same time. They are separate schemes with separate payments
  • Countryside Stewardship: Pathway participation does not affect your Countryside Stewardship agreement
  • Species-specific welfare requirements: The review helps you meet your legal welfare obligations under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations by identifying welfare issues before they become enforcement problems

Your vet's written report from the review provides evidence of proactive health management, which can strengthen your position during farm assurance audits and regulatory inspections.

  1. Check you are eligible

    You must be a registered keeper of cattle, sheep, or pigs in England with a valid CPH (County Parish Holding) number and SBI (Single Business Identifier). You need minimum livestock numbers (11 cattle, 21 sheep, or 51 pigs) and a current BPS, SFI, or Countryside Stewardship agreement.

  2. Choose a vet and book your review

    Select an RCVS-registered vet to carry out the review. This can be your usual vet or one who offers the Annual Health and Welfare Review service. Agree a date for the farm visit and confirm which species will be reviewed.

  3. Prepare for the visit

    Have your livestock records, medicine records, and any previous health plans available for the vet. Ensure animals are accessible for inspection and testing. The vet will need to carry out species-specific disease testing during the visit.

  4. Complete the review

    The vet visits your farm, carries out the required testing and biosecurity assessment, and provides you with a written report including health priorities and recommendations. Keep the report for your records and for any farm assurance audits.

  5. Submit your claim

    Claim your payment through the Rural Payments portal within 6 months of the review. You will need the vet's unique reference number from the visit. The RPA pays you directly, and you pay your vet separately for their time.

  6. Consider an endemic disease follow-up

    After completing your annual review, you may be eligible for a funded endemic disease follow-up for additional testing, vaccination programmes, or targeted interventions based on your review findings. Check the Pathway guidance on GOV.UK for current availability.

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