GovWire

About Countryside Stewardship

Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides financial incentives for farmers, foresters and land managers to look after and improve the environment.

CS protects and enhances the natural environment by:

• increasing biodiversity
• improving habitat
• expanding woodland areas
• improving water quality
• improving air quality
• improving natural flood management

CS supports Defras 25 Year Environment Plan for our country to be the healthiest, most beautiful place in the world to live, work and bring up a family. It also supports Defras strategic objective of a cleaner, healthier environment, benefitting people and the economy.

Grants for 2024

CS grants are closed. To apply for capital items, go to Capital items: guidance for applicants and agreement holders.

Existing agreement holders guidance

Existing CS agreement holders should follow the relevant scheme guidance to manage their agreement effectively and meet all its requirements.

How to make a claim for payment

CS agreement holders should follow the guidance on how to make a capital or revenue claim to get paid under the terms of their CS agreement.

Revenue payment rates from January 2024

Defra has reviewed and updatedCSpayment rates based on current costs. See the rate changes for CSrevenue options.

Land use codes 2024

See the land use codesyou should use in your application.

How HMRC treats subsidy payments

Your grant and subsidy payments are paid before tax is taken off. You may need to tell HMRC about these if you or your business pay UK tax. For more information, read HMRCs Business Income Manual BIM40451 - Specific receipts: grants and subsidies. If you have an accountant, you should also discuss this with them.

How Countryside Stewardship fits in with the Agricultural Transition

Countryside Stewardship remains part of the Environmental Land Management offer but has undergone some changes in 2024.

CS Mid Tier is now closed. You can apply for equivalent Mid Tier grants available as actions under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) expanded offer for 2024.

CS Higher Tier is currently under review. The aim is to focus CS Higher Tier on the most environmentally important land, such as sites of special scientific interest, commons and woodlands.

When CS Higher Tier opens, you will be able to choose from a range of actions to carry out more ambitious environmental activities. You will also be able to apply for capital items to help you do the actions. You will need specialist advice from Natural England or the Forestry Commission to apply.

Later this year, we will publish:

• who is eligible

• what actions are available ??

• how to apply and request specialist advice

How CS interacts with the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI)

If youre an existing CS agreement holder you can apply for SFI actions under the SFI expanded offer for 2024 as long as youre not already being paid for the same activity under CS. Find out how SFI eligibility works if you already have a scheme agreement

As part of the SFI expanded offer, you can also get funding for a vet-led annual health and welfare review.

CS and SFI pilot scheme

The SFI pilot is currently running alongside SFI. Applications for the pilot are closed.

SFI pilot agreement holders can apply to the SFI expanded offer if:

• the activities under each scheme are compatible

• you will not be paid twice for similar activities on the same area of land

Find out how eligibility works if you already have a SFI pilot agreement.

SFI pilot agreement holders can access one-off payments to buy equipment or other capital items from through capital grants funding or the Farming Investment Fund.

Landscape Recovery

If you have an existing CS Mid Tier or Wildlife Offer agreement you can also be involved in Landscape Recovery projects. You can stay in your CS agreement during the development phase of a Landscape Recovery project. Defra will help you transition into the Landscape Recovery implementation phase to avoid any double funding.

Register yourself and your land

Before you apply for a CS grant, you need to register on the Rural Payments service. Follow the guidance on how to register and check your details.

For help, telephone RPA on 03000 200 301.

Authorise an agent

You can authorise an agent to fill in and submit your application for you. This also applies to payment claim forms for agreement holders.

For an agent to act for you, you must

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