Following a review of payment rates for Countryside Stewardship (CS) capital grant funding the RPA have released updated rates that will take effect from January 2023.  This review recognises the significant increase in costs that farmers have been having to carry to deliver on RPA agreements.  Further to initial feedback and lobbying these updated rates will apply to Countryside Stewardship agreements that started on or after 01 January 2023 for those that have existing capital commitments.

A full list of the updated payment rates can be found here.

The CS Capital Grants scheme opened for applications on 5 January 2023, and is now open on a rolling basis, ie there is no deadline for applications, until the funding is allocated.  There have been a number of updates to the 2023 scheme as follows;

• New agreements now offer agreement holders 3 years to complete the works, recognising the issues around availability and lead times on materials,
• the maximum amount on a single application has increased to £80,000, but a limit of £20,000 applies to each of the 4 grant groups, these being;
  • boundaries, trees & orchards
  • water quality
  • air quality
  • natural flood management
• a new CS Higher Tier Capital Grants offering has been introduced to deliver higher tier environmental benefits without the need to a CS Higher Tier agreement
• land in a SSSI or Scheduled Monument is now eligible for capital items if that land is covered by an existing CS agreement
• capital grants can be used to support existing CS Mid Tier, Higher Tier, Wildlife Offers and ES HLS schemes

Full details on the application process can be found here. Applications can be made either by email/post using this form or made online through the Rural Payments online portal.  To apply you must hold an SBI to which the land parcels on which the works will take place are registered.