Poultry Biosecurity Review (PBR) Scheme

Published on : 9 Jul 2026

This is the Poultry Biosecurity Review (PBR) scheme, launched by Defra on 2 June 2026 as part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, specifically to help tackle avian influenza risk.

How it works
Egg producers can get a vet-led biosecurity review of their premises, covering an advisory visit, a biosecurity assessment, professional veterinary advice, and a written report. £430 can be claimed for each review, and all reviews must be completed by 31 December 2028.

Eligibility
Eligibility is based on those responsible for day-to-day care of the birds, who have a Single Business Identifier (SBI) number with the Rural Payments Agency and a registered County Parish Holding (CPH) in England. For layers specifically, the threshold is 1,000 or more laying hens per CPH (part of the wider 1,000 or more chickens (breeders, broilers, egg layers and pullets) criteria).

Practical details
• You can choose your own vet. If you're a poultry keeper who is a vet, you cannot carry out your own reviews.

• You can claim for a maximum of 3 reviews on each site, with at least ten months required to elapse before a subsequent review.

• The vet needs to fill in a PBR vet summary sheet before you can make a claim, and you'll be asked to provide the information from the summary when claiming.

• Keepers pay the vet directly, then claim the £430 back through the scheme.

How to apply
You need an agreement in place before arranging a review. Use the 'Get funding to improve animal health and welfare' service, and you'll need your Rural Payments service customer reference number (CRN) and password to sign in.

Guidance page

Terms and conditions