Instruments of the common agricultural policy affect the growth and profitability of Polish agriculture, especially the main tool, which are direct payments. The purpose of the article was to evaluate the development of the agricultural direct payments due to their level, dynamics and structure. It has also been attempted to identify the conditions that existed and differences in the studied areas. The study involved the structure of each area payments in all districts of the Wielkopolska Region. A quantitative analysis was performed of direct payments and identified determinants of variation in spatial terms (taking into account the size of the total direct payments obtained by the farm and in terms of 1 ha of land submitted for payment). It should be noted that during the period a development of the system of direct payments, was observed by increasing the number of titles that fall into the area payment, and the amount of financial assistance acquired during the period which was dependent on geographic location, farm size, type of production and activity of the applicants.