Up to 2,000 farmers and dozens of rural businesses and charities have been left in limbo after a string of multi-million grant schemes for the countryside were abruptly frozen by Whitehall officials in the wake of the vote to leave the EU, it has emerged.

Businesses and community groups poised to start work on long-planned building projects have been left powerless to proceed during the crucial summer period after local officials were banned from telling them whether or not their applications for cash have been approved.

Meanwhile farmers who were due to be told whether they qualify for cash for major new projects under the Government’s rural development schemes have been left in the dark for five weeks even though, in many cases, decisions on allocating the money have also already been made.