Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs provides a range of services via their helpline, including general enquiries about environmental, food, and rural affairs. They also offer information on the Pet Travel Scheme and advice on farming and rural services. The helpline operates Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00 and on Saturdays from 09:00 to 13:00. For urgent matters like reporting notifiable diseases in animals, the service is available 24/7. Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulation requests can also be processed through this line. Typically, calling is the fastest way to get a response, as written queries may face delays.
Updated 15 Dec 2025
Expected outcomes
- Check application status
- Get Pet Travel Scheme info
- Report animal diseases
- Submit FOI requests
- Receive farming advice
Call preparation
Assemble everything before you dial. These requirements are verified by our call analysts and updated as organizations change their scripts.
- Nature of enquiry
- Contact details
- Request details
- Specific animal disease info
- Pet travel documentation
- FOI request specifics
Known issues
Callers often experience long response times, especially for written correspondence and FOI requests due to high volumes. It is recommended to use the helpline for quicker responses, as written queries can take up to 20 working days or longer. To avoid delays, ensure all necessary information is ready before calling. For urgent matters, such as reporting animal diseases, the helpline is available 24/7. Consider calling during off-peak hours to reduce wait times.
