The Countryside Stewardship Capital Grant is a grant from the UK Government that funds capital improvements for farmers and land managers in England to support conservation and environmental outcomes. These standalone capital grants can be used independently or alongside existing Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier or Wildlife Offers, or Higher Tier agreements.

Eligible projects include items that support wildlife, water quality, soil health, and landscape improvements. The 2025 Capital Grants round closed for applications on August 1, 2025; farmers and land managers in England can apply for other standalone capital grants at any time of year.

Applicant's guide: Capital Grants 2025 (closed) - GOV.UK This publication is available at https://www. gov.uk/government/publications/capital-grants-2025/applicants-guide-capital-grants-2025 Capital Grants closed for applications on 1 August 2025. You can also apply for other capital grants at any time of the year.

These grants are standalone Capital Grants.

You can use them without having an agreement in another scheme or you can use them to support and complement: Sustainable Farming Incentive ( SFI ) existing Countryside Stewardship ( CS ) Mid Tier and Wildlife Offers and Higher Tier new CS Higher Tier ( CSHT ) (opening in 2025) Environmental Stewardship ( ES ) Higher Level Stewardship The Rural Payments Agency ( RPA ) will only accept one submitted application in a calendar year for each Single Business Identifier ( SBI ) that you manage.

You cannot include land parcels that already have capital grants in an existing Higher Tier, Mid Tier or Capital Grant agreement that are incomplete or have not received their final payment. This round of the scheme will close to applications when the available funding is committed. We will aim to give reasonable notice of scheme closure, but this may not be possible.

Funding is not guaranteed even if an application has been submitted and is eligible. At the point of closure, we will not accept any further applications including those started but not yet submitted. Following closure of this round of the scheme, we will make further improvements to the scheme and expect to open a new round during 2026.

2.

1 Capital Grant groups and funding limits Capital Grants are 3-year agreements offering capital items to achieve specific environmental benefits within 6 groups: air quality, for example slurry scrapers assessments, for example a wildfire checklist boundaries, tress and orchards, for example repairing stone walls improvements, for example education access visits natural flood management, for example leaky woody dams water quality, for example biofilters There is a funding limit for 4 of the item groups.

Boundaries, trees and orchards There is no funding limit for items in the assessment or improvement groups. If your application is successful, the Rural Payments Agency ( RPA ) will make you an agreement offer. If you accept the offer, you will enter into an agreement with RPA .

2. 2 Capital items available There are 78 capital items available, which are listed in section 5. The grant finder gives a description and essential requirements for each capital item.

You can use supplementary grants for some capital items. Read section 5 ‘Choosing capital items’ to see if there is a supplementary item available with the capital item that you can apply for. Water or air quality items You may need approval from a Catchment Sensitive Farming ( CSF ) adviser for capital items that help improve water and air quality.

Read section 4. 4. 2 ‘Catchment Sensitive Farming approval’ for more information.

2. 3 What the grant cannot pay for You cannot use a Capital Grant to pay for: any capital works done (or materials purchased) before your agreement starts planning application fees or other transactional fees agent fees or other advisory fees meeting legal requirements, including planning conditions and tenancy agreements any works undertaken as part of another grant or obligation (read section 3.

3 ‘Management control of land’) in-kind contributions (this means the value of donated work or services) or gifted materials where you have not incurred a cost for them 3. Who can apply and what land is eligible Capital Grants are open to land managers who are one of the following: a licensor if they have management control of the land and activities needed to meet the obligations of the grant for the full duration of the agreement 3.

1 Land that is eligible To be eligible for Capital Grants, land parcels must be entirely within England, and you must have management control of the relevant parcels as set out in section 3. 3.

The following land parcels may also be eligible: those included in any existing CS , ES Higher Level Stewardship, SFI or CSHT agreement, if the same item isn’t being funded twice, there is sufficient space in the parcel, and the options, actions and items are compatible with each other those subject to an English Woodland Grant Scheme ( EWGS ) agreement (read section 3. 4.

4 for some exceptions) those included in agreements for PA1: Implementation plan, PA2: Feasibility study, PA3: Woodland management plan, PA4: Agroforestry plan, PA5 Moorland mapping plan, PA7: Species management plan, or a Woodland tree health grant (if all other eligibility criteria are met) those on a site of special scientific interest ( SSSI ) or Scheduled Monument, including their boundaries but only if it is included in an existing CS or ES agreement 3.

2 Land that is not eligible The following land is not eligible for Capital Grants: common land or shared grazing - except items AF1: Plant an agroforestry woodland tree, AF2: Plant an agroforestry fruit tree or AF3: Species diversity bonus land that is included in certain other schemes or under obligation (read section 3.

4 ‘Land receiving other funding’) developed land and hard standing (including permanent caravan sites and areas used for permanent storage) 3. 3 Management control of land You must have management control of the land in a Capital Grants agreement for 5 years from the starting date of your agreement, or the countersignature of your landlord (see section 3. 3.

1). all activities needed to meet the grant payment keeping all capital items funded through this scheme in the condition and to the specification set out in your agreement for the 5 years.

This is known as the durability period using capital items only for the approved purpose during this period, for example you cannot house livestock if your grant is for roofing a slurry store If you do not meet these requirements, you must get the written consent of all other parties who have management control.

If you occupy land under a tenancy, you must have: a tenancy agreement granting you management control for at least 3 years from the start of the Capital Grants agreement or the countersignature of your landlord (however, see the requirements for a rolling tenancy below) the agreement of your landlord before you apply a countersignature from your landlord if you do not have management control for 5 years (for the durability period) from the start of your agreement control of all the activities over the land to meet the scheme requirements for the chosen capital items It is your responsibility to check when you apply for Capital Grants that you do not breach the terms of your tenancy agreement.

If your tenancy is renewed each year on a rolling basis, you must be certain your tenancy will extend to the length of your Capital Grants agreement, or you must have a countersignature from your landlord. You must check this with your landlord before you apply. If the landlord takes over a Capital Grants agreement from you once your tenancy has ended, they must be eligible to do so.

For example, they must not be an ineligible public body. If you are a landlord and can show that you have enough management control over the land and activities, you can apply for an agreement on land you have let to a tenant. As the Agreement Holder, you must give your tenant a copy of the Capital Grants agreement.

RPA may ask you to provide evidence to show that you have done this. It is your responsibility to make sure that your tenant does not breach the terms of the agreement. If you are in a business partnership, you can apply for Capital Grants.

The person signing the application must have the appropriate permission levels in the Rural Payments service . If you are a licensor, you can apply for a Capital Grants agreement. It is your responsibility to make sure that the licensee does not breach the terms of the agreement.

You must make sure that the licensee is aware of the requirements of the agreement, as relevant to the licence, and include these in the licence agreement. Licensees are usually not eligible for Capital Grants as a licence arrangement will not provide sufficient management control of the land to the licensee for the agreement period.

If in practice your licence agreement gives you wider land management responsibilities, this may mean you are a tenant and therefore may be eligible for Capital Grants. You must show that you have sufficient management control of the land and activities to be able to apply. See section 3.

3. 1 ‘Tenants’ for more information. 3.

3. 6 Land owned by public bodies Land is not eligible if it is owned or managed by: Crown bodies (including all government departments, executive agencies and trading funds) non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) See a list of all government departments, agencies and public bodies on GOV.UK. Land owned by some public bodies is eligible for Capital Grants provided the work does not form part of their obligations as a public body.

This includes land owned by: national park authorities Parish councils and former college farms are not considered to be public bodies and so are eligible to apply for Capital Grants. 3. 3.

7 Tenants of land owned by public bodies If you are a tenant of a public body, you will need to check if the land is eligible for Capital Grants with your landlord. If it is, you must get the public body to countersign your application if you do not have a tenancy agreement for the 3 years of a Capital Grants agreement and the durability period.

If you do have a tenancy agreement for the full term of a Capital Grants agreement and durability period, you are eligible to apply as a tenant with management control of the land. See section 3. 3.

1. You cannot apply for a Capital Grant for any work that is a requirement of your tenancy or any other legally binding obligation. 3.

4 Land receiving other funding You cannot use Capital Grants to pay for any environmental management for which you are already receiving: payment from Exchequer funds grant aid from any other public body You cannot use a Capital Grants agreement to fund capital works that you: are required to carry out under other legally binding obligations are currently receiving funding from other sources have already received funding You may be able to apply for a Capital Grants agreement in addition to an existing CS , ES , SFI or CSHT agreement, if you follow the rules set out in section 3.

4. 1 ‘Environmental Stewardship’, 3. 4.

2 ‘Countryside Stewardship’ or 3. 4. 3 ‘Environmental Land Management schemes’ RPA will carry out checks to make sure that capital works are not funded twice from public money.

You must make sure that any work proposed for this grant does not breach the conditions of any other agreement. 3. 4.

1 Environmental Stewardship Land parcels in Higher Level Stewardship are eligible for Capital Grants. If you intend to apply for a Capital Grants agreement on land parcels in an existing ES agreement, you must make sure: the same capital works are not being funded twice the actions required in your existing agreement and your new Capital Grants agreement are compatible 3. 4.

2 Countryside Stewardship including CSHT For CS Mid Tier, and CS Higher Tier agreements You can only enter land parcels into a Capital Grants agreement if you have completed and been paid for all capital works for CS Mid Tier or Higher Tier in that parcel.

Then you can apply for a Capital Grants agreement on those land parcels if: the same capital works are not being funded twice the actions required in your existing agreement and your new Capital Grants agreement are compatible You can apply for a Capital Grants agreement on land parcels that are not in your existing CS Mid Tier or Higher Tier agreement if the new capital works do not conflict with that agreement.

Wildlife Offers and other capital grants You can apply for a Capital Grants agreement on land parcels in these agreements.

This is providing the same capital works are not being funded twice and the actions required in your existing agreement and your new Capital Grants agreement are compatible: Higher Tier Capital Grants Protection and Infrastructure PA3: Woodland management plan Land in Capital Grants agreements You can apply for a new Capital Grants agreement on the same land parcels as an existing Capital Grants agreement if: the same capital works are not being funded twice the actions required in your existing agreement and your new Capital Grants agreement are compatible any capital works on the same land parcel are complete and you have received your final payment you are not submitting more than one application in a calendar year for each SBI that you manage You can apply for a Capital Grants agreement on land parcels that are not in your existing agreement if the new capital works do not conflict with that agreement.

3. 4. 3 Environmental Land Management schemes Sustainable Farming Incentive ( SFI ) You can apply for a Capital Grants agreement on land parcels in an: SFI pilot standards agreement The actions in your SFI agreement must be compatible with the works in a Capital Grants agreement.

Customers with a Capital Grants agreement can also apply for a Landscape Recovery agreement, if: the same item isn’t being funded twice there is sufficient space in the parcel 3. 4.

4 English Woodland Grant Schemes You can apply for Capital Grants on land parcels covered by an English Woodland Grant Schemes ( EWGS ) capital grant if both of the following apply: this does not result in you being paid twice for the same items or activities the Capital Grants do not conflict with any ongoing capital EWGS requirements You cannot apply for Capital Grants on land parcels covered by a multi-annual EWGS agreement, England Woodland Creation Offer, EWGS Farm Woodland Payment, Farm Woodland Premium Scheme or Farm Woodland Scheme.

3. 4. 5 Inheritance Tax or Capital Gains Tax exemption Land that’s conditionally exempt from Inheritance Tax (or the object of a maintenance fund) may not be eligible for capital items if they: are not compatible with the exemption duplicate an activity within the exemption Read ‘Eligible funding on land conditionally exempt from Inheritance Tax’ for more information and to see which capital items are eligible or not.

3. 4. 6 Other schemes or grants Capital Grants cannot fund works that form part of: Farming in Protected Landscapes England Woodland Creation Offer This is not an exhaustive list.

4. How to apply for Capital Grants You should apply for Capital Grants online in the Rural Payments service, using the Countryside Stewardship screen. This takes you to a screen which allows you to apply for Capital Grants.

The following section gives the information you need to apply. 4. 1 Check you and your land are registered To apply for Capital Grants, you need to register or be registered in the Rural Payments service.

Use the guidance on registering and updating your details with the Rural Payments Agency to help you. All land parcels listed on your application must be registered in the Rural Payments service and have a parcel reference number (in the format AA1234 5678). Check the Rural Payments service to find out if your land parcels are registered and up to date .

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 give them the appropriate permission levels in the Rural Payments service.

This applies even if you have previously authorised the agent using the paper agent authorisation form. You are responsible for ensuring that permissions assigned in the Rural Payments service are made correctly and that all contact details are correct. You should submit your application online if you can.

If you are unable to apply online, call the RPA helpline. You can apply online using the Rural Payments service. You must send us a map or maps and any supporting documents by email or post.

Use the how to complete your online Capital Grants application guidance to help you. 4. 3 Business viability test RPA will check all applicants against an insolvency register.

If your application is not financially viable, we may not offer you an agreement. For applications including capital expenditure of more than £50,000 in total, you must submit a statement from a registered accountant (for example, a chartered accountant or certified accountant) with your application’s supporting documents.

This is to confirm that the business or SBI has the resources from trading profits, reserves or loans to carry out the work in the proposed agreement schedule.

The accountant will need to provide a letter on headed paper which confirms: they are a registered accountant they act as the accountant for the applicant or have been contracted to act on behalf of the applicant you as the applicant have sufficient finances to complete the capital works in your application and how these funds will be sourced (for example, savings or loan) their understanding of the total value of the capital works in the application 4.

4 Check if you need consent to carry out capital works You must check each capital item you are applying for to see if any consents are needed. You will not be paid for any capital works without the necessary consents and permissions being in place before you begin any work. You are responsible for arranging all relevant consents, permissions, exemptions, and written advice needed for your application.

In some cases, you will not be offered an agreement if these are not in place. Your local planning authority can give you informal advice on whether a proposal needs planning consent. Read the general guidance on planning permission for farms .

You do not need to provide evidence of whether planning permission or consent is needed with your application. However, if required, you will need to have permission or consent in place before you carry out any work, and you will need to submit evidence when you make a claim for this work. 4.

4. 2 Catchment Sensitive Farming ( CSF ) support Some capital items are only available with support from CSF following an advisory consultation to discuss your local environmental priorities. You’ll need support from CSF to apply for capital items listed in Table 1 of Annex 2.

Use the ‘ CSF advice request form’ to ask for an advisory consultation. If you do not get support from CSF for items which require their support, RPA will remove the relevant capital items from your application. CSF advice and support may not always be available if demand is high.

The advice will be based on: the potential of the capital items to target identified environmental risks and issues relevant environmental data CSF will also consider giving advice on using capital items based on issues raised by the Environment Agency. You should follow the same process to ask for an advisory visit or consultation.

Read Annex 2 to find out: which capital items require support which capital items help to improve water quality, air quality and natural flood management 4. 4. 3 Sites of special scientific interest ( SSSI ) You must get consent from Natural England if your application includes land on a SSSI .

You may need to apply for other consents or licences if work affects: protected species (as defined by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) If you have protected species on your land, you must meet the requirements for their protection before carrying out any activities. For more information, read ‘Managing wildlife on your land’ .

If you have consent for work that affects protected species, you may need to plan around seasonal activity. You should have consent in place before you start any activity. If the work affects priority habitats (other than SSSIs ), you should consider the effect on these even if you do not need consent.

To find out more about how to avoid harming protected area and species read ‘Construction near protected areas and wildlife’ . 4. 4.

5 Work on trees and hedges You may need permission for work on trees that are under a Tree Preservation Order ( TPO ) . If this applies to you, contact your Local Authority or National Park Authority. Find out when you may need a Forestry Commission tree felling licence .

You can fell up to 5m3 and sell up to 2m3 of timber without a felling licence each calendar quarter. If you plan to fell or sell more, you must get a felling licence before your agreement offer can be issued. You do not need to provide evidence of any TPO permission or a felling licence with your application.

If required, you will need to have the consent before you carry out any work. You will need to submit this when you make a claim for this work. 4.

4. 6 Applying for items that do not require capital works Some items do not require capital works. They are: FY7: Assessing woodland condition WF1: Create a wildfire checklist VED1: Educational access visits FY7: Assessing woodland condition - include all the land parcels in your application and the total hectarage of those parcels.

WF1: Wildfire checklist will cover all your holding. In your application apply for one unit against one land parcel. You do not need to add the details of all the land parcels in the checklist.

VED1: Educational access visits - when you apply, the number of visits defaults to 75 (for a 3-year agreement). You do not need to carry out 75 visits during the agreement period. On your application form, include only the details of land parcels (in an existing agreement) that the visits will cover.

4. 4. 7 Other considerations When you carry out work under the agreement, you must not: obstruct public rights of way block or restrict access to ‘open access’ land affect oil or gas pipelines If required, you will need to have permission or consent in place before you carry out any work.

You will need to submit this evidence when you make a claim for this work. 4. 5 Submit your application and supporting documents Submit your application online.

You must include: a land ownership and control form , if applicable any other supporting documents RPA ask for as detailed on the grant finder Use the how to complete your online Capital Grant application to help you submit your application. RPA will only accept supporting documents, such as photos or forms, if they are either printed and sent by post or scanned and attached to an email. Emails should not be larger than 32MB.

For security reasons, RPA cannot accept discs, USB pen drives or other external storage media. 4. 6 How RPA check your application RPA will check that your application: meets the eligibility requirements includes an annotated map If your application is successful, RPA will send you an agreement offer letter.

If you want to accept the agreement offer you must sign and return the declaration by post within 20 working days. If you do not accept your offer in time, it will be withdrawn. You can withdraw an application at any point after submission, prior to an agreement offer being made.

Once an agreement offer has been made, you cannot withdraw your application, but you can reject your agreement offer. You can find more information about entering into an agreement in section 6. 1 of the Agreement Holder’s guide .

If your application is unsuccessful, RPA will tell you why. You have the right to follow the complaints and appeal process. Read section 7.

10 of the Agreement Holder’s guide . 5. Choosing capital items A description and brief requirements for the capital items under the Capital Grants are provided in this section.

More detailed information on (and the specific requirements for) these items are available on the grant finder . You can select multiple items from the 6 groups. There is a funding limit on groups 1, 3, 5 and 6.

Your application will be assessed to ensure value for money. If you exceed the funding thresholds for any group of items, you will not be able to submit your application. You should calculate the value of all items in a group and check they do not exceed the limit for that group before you apply.

5. 1 Group 1: Air quality items - funding limit £25,000 £2,760 per passageway or channel Low ammonia emission flooring for livestock buildings Supplement for use of individual tree-shelters Yes, where using with TE4 *TE5 can also be used as a supplement when planting agroforestry trees using AF1 or AF2 5. 2 Group 2: Assessments items - no funding limit Assessing woodland condition First 30 ha £13.

63 per ha (minimum £300) Create a wildfire checklist 5.

3 Group 3: Boundaries, trees and orchards items - funding limit £35,000 Plant an agroforestry woodland tree Plant an agroforestry fruit tree Supplement: Species diversity bonus Stone-faced bank restoration Hedgerow supplement - casting up Yes, only use with BN5 and BN6 Hedgerow supplement - top binding and staking Yes, only use with BN12 or BN16 Stone wall supplement - stone from quarry Yes, only use with BN12 or BN16 Planting standard hedgerow tree Tree guard (tube and mesh) Tree guard (wood post and rail) Tree guard (wood post and wire) £73.

36 per tree (limbs up to and including 20cm diameter), £146.

72 per tree (limbs over 20cm diameter) You can only apply for a supplement with its associated capital item: BN8 – can only be used with BN5 and BN6 BN10 – can only be used with BN5 BN13 – can only be used with BN12 or BN16 BN14 – can only be used with BN12 or BN16 both BN13 and BN14 can be used with BN12 or BN16 TE5 can be used with tree guards used to protect trees planted with AF1 or AF2 5.

4 Group 4: Improvements item - no funding limit Educational access visits £363 per visit (to a maximum of £9,075 per year) 5. 5 Group 5: Natural flood management items - funding limit £25,000 Equipment to disrupt tramlines in arable areas 5.

6 Group 6: Water quality items - funding limit £25,000 Permanent electric fencing Rabbit fencing supplement Yes (only use with FG1, FG2, FG3) Hard bases for livestock drinkers Hard bases for livestock feeders Pasture pumps and associated pipework Ram pumps and associated pipework Pipework associated with livestock troughs Livestock and machinery hardcore tracks Installation of piped culverts in ditches Earth banks and soil bunds Silt filtration dams or seepage barriers Yard - underground drainage pipework Storage tanks underground First flush rainwater diverters and downpipe filters Relocation of sheep dips and pens Relocation of sheep pens only Sheep dip drainage aprons and sumps Installation of livestock drinking troughs (in draining pens for freshly dipped sheep) Lined biobed plus pesticide loading and washdown area Lined biobed with existing washdown area Sprayer or applicator load and washdown area Roofing (sprayer washdown area, manure storage area, livestock gathering area, slurry stores, silage stores) Self-supporting covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores Floating covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores and lagoons Read Annex 2 to find out which capital items require approval from CSF before you can apply for them.

You must register any parcels you want to include in the Rural Payments service. Read: ‘Make changes to your rural land maps’ for more information. Annex 1: Terms and Conditions See the CS Terms and Conditions 2025 .

Annex 2: Choose capital items to help improve water and air quality, and reduce flood risk Choosing the right capital items can help reduce the amount of water pollutant and ammonia released from your farm and reduce flood risk. Find out if you have water or air priorities on your land Use the statement of priorities to find the water and air objectives for your local area.

If your application meets these objectives, you’ll get a higher score. Use the MAGIC map application to find water, and air priority information for your land. In the Table of Contents, choose ‘Countryside Stewardship Targeting & Scoring Layers’, then ‘Water’, and then ‘Countryside Stewardship Priority Areas’.

You can make this layer transparent by using the slider under ‘Countryside Stewardship Targeting & Scoring Layers’. Navigate to your land and use the ‘Identify’ tool in the top toolbar to check the information specific to your land parcels. Table 1 lists the capital items that require CSF approval.

Read section 4. 4. 2 to find out how to get approval.

Table 2 lists the capital items to help you improve water and air quality and reduce flood risk.

Table 1: Items that require CSF support Low ammonia emission flooring for livestock buildings Livestock and machinery hardcore tracks Yard – underground drainage pipework Storage tanks underground First flush rainwater diverters and downpipe filters Relocation of sheep dips and pens Relocation of sheep pens only Sheep dip drainage aprons and sumps Installation of livestock drinking troughs (in draining pens for freshly dipped sheep) Lined biobed plus pesticide loading and washdown area Lined biobed with existing washdown area Sprayer or applicator load and washdown area Roofing (sprayer washdown area, manure storage area, livestock gathering area, slurry stores, silage stores) Self-supporting covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores Floating covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores and lagoons Equipment to disrupt tramlines in arable areas Supplement for use of individual tree-shelters (when used with TE4 only) Table 2: Capital items that address pollutant pressures affecting water and air quality and for flood and coastal risk Water quality, air quality and flood risk issues AQ1: Automatic slurry scraper AQ2: Low ammonia emission flooring for livestock buildings Pesticides – surface water Phosphate and sediment – surface water BN11: Planting new hedges Pesticides – surface water Phosphate and sediment – surface water Faecal indicator organisms – bathing water Pesticides – ground water Pesticides – surface water Phosphate and sediment – surface water Faecal indicator organisms – bathing water Pesticides – ground water Pesticides – surface water Phosphate and sediment –