Farm Grants and Environmental Schemes
We advise farmers and landowners across the North West on Defra and Rural Payments Agency schemes, from the first eligibility check to the final claim. Schemes open and close through the year, so please call us to find out which are open now.
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- Fee agreed in writing before any work starts
Scheme names last checked against GOV.UK: October 2026
Who We Act For
We act for farmers, landowners and land managers across the North West who wish to apply for a grant or environmental scheme, and for agreement holders who need help keeping an existing agreement in good order.
Our Farm Grant Services
We provide a complete service across the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Capital Grants, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund and the Improving Farm Productivity grant. Our work includes:
- Eligibility and scheme selection: checking which schemes are open, whether your holding qualifies, and which schemes suit the farm and your plans for it
- Applications: preparing and submitting applications to Defra, the Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
- Land and feature mapping: mapping fields, hedgerows, walls, watercourses and other features, and bringing your land details on the Rural Payments service up to date
- Capital item planning: choosing the right items, measuring quantities, obtaining quotes and arranging any consents or Catchment Sensitive Farming support an item requires
- Claims: preparing and submitting payment claims with the photographs, invoices and other evidence each item or action requires
- Record keeping: setting up the records each action asks for, so that the evidence is in place from the start
- Agreement management: amendments, land changes, tenancy changes and renewals over the life of the agreement
- Inspection support: preparing you for a Rural Payments Agency inspection and supporting you through it
Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in 2026
SFI pays farmers to carry out actions that protect soil, water, hedgerows and wildlife alongside food production. SFI 2026 agreements usually last three years and are paid in quarterly instalments.
SFI 2026 opened in two windows, and both have now closed:
- Window 1 opened on 30 June 2026 for small farms and for farms without an existing agreement. It closed on 28 August 2026.
- Window 2 was open to all eligible farm businesses and closed on 22 September 2026, once the funding had been taken up.
Applicants needed at least 3 hectares of agricultural land linked to their SBI, and each business could receive up to £100,000 per agreement year. The separate SFI management payment was removed for 2026.
Common SFI 2026 Actions and Payment Rates
These are among the actions most relevant to farms in the North West. Rates are per year and are taken from the SFI 2026 scheme rules on GOV.UK.
| Action | Code | Payment rate |
|---|---|---|
| Manage hedgerows | CHRW2 | £13 per 100m (one side) |
| Manage dry stone walls | BND1 | £27 per 100m (both sides) |
| Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs | CLIG3 | £151 per hectare |
| Herbal leys | CSAM3 | £224 per hectare |
| Legumes on improved grassland | CNUM2 | £102 per hectare |
| 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland | CIGL3 | £235 per hectare |
| Supplement: haymaking | GRH7 | £157 per hectare |
| Remove livestock from grassland during the autumn and winter (SDAs) | WBD7 | £115 per hectare |
| Moderate livestock grazing on moorland | UPL1 | £35 per hectare |
| Multi-species winter cover crop | CSAM2 | £129 per hectare |
| No-till farming | SOH1 | £73 per hectare |
| Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land | CAHL2 | £648 per hectare |
Capital Grants for Yards, Roofing, Fencing and Hedges
Capital Grants contribute towards one-off works rather than annual management. The 2026 offer was made through three-year agreements, and applicants needed management control of the land for five years to cover the agreement and the period afterwards during which the work must be maintained.
The 2026 round opened on 30 July 2026 and closed by 1 September 2026, once the available funding had been allocated. Each business may submit one Capital Grants application per calendar year.
Funding Limits in 2026
- Boundaries, trees and orchards: up to £35,000
- Water quality: up to £25,000
- Air quality: up to £25,000
- Natural flood management: up to £25,000
- Assessments and improvements: no limit
An application worth more than £50,000 in total had to be supported by a letter from an accountant.
Common Capital Items and Payment Rates
These are the items we are asked about most often, with the 2026 rates published on GOV.UK.
| Item | Code | Payment rate |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete yard renewal | RP15 | £33.64 per square metre |
| Roofing (sprayer washdown area, manure storage area, livestock gathering area, slurry stores, silage stores) | RP28 | £72.50 per square metre |
| Fencing | FG1 | £6.34 per metre |
| Sheep netting | FG2 | £7.47 per metre |
| Wooden field gate | FG12 | £489.90 per gate |
| Planting new hedges | BN11 | £22.97 per metre |
| Hedgerow gapping-up | BN7 | £17.22 per metre |
| Hedgerow laying | BN5 | £13.52 per metre |
| Stone wall restoration | BN12 | £31.91 per metre |
| Planting standard hedgerow tree | TE1 | £19.06 per tree |
Points to Note on Yard and Roofing Items
- Catchment Sensitive Farming support: concrete yard renewal (RP15) and roofing (RP28) may only be used with written support from a Catchment Sensitive Farming adviser, which must accompany the application.
- Concrete yard renewal (RP15): the concrete must be at least 150mm thick on at least 150mm of compacted hardcore, reinforced, laid in bays and sealed. A yard renewed under RP15 must not then be roofed.
- Roofing (RP28): the floor must be impermeable, and roof water must be guttered to a clean water system. The item cannot repair or replace an existing roof, and it cannot be used for livestock housing or to support expansion.
- Slurry and silage stores: the Environment Agency must confirm that the store meets the silage, slurry and agricultural fuel oil regulations before you claim.
- Planning: check with the local planning authority, and keep evidence of whether permission was needed.
Points to Note on Boundary Items
- Sheep netting and fencing (FG1 and FG2): a site that received a fencing grant in the last seven years is not eligible, and fences must not be attached to trees or hedgerows.
- Wooden field gates (FG12): gates must be hung separately from the adjoining fence, and only one gate may be claimed where two are hung side by side.
- Planting new hedges (BN11): planting must take place between 1 November and 31 March, and you need management control of both sides of the boundary.
Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier
Higher Tier funds more ambitious environmental work on land of high environmental value. Agreements last five, ten, fifteen or twenty years, depending on the longest action they include, and they can also fund capital items to support those actions.
Natural England now accepts expressions of interest, without an invitation, for six topics:
- agroforestry
- woodland improvement
- species-rich grassland
- scheduled monument management
- traditional orchards
- wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
Agreements combining several environmental actions still require an invitation from Natural England for pre-application advice. Natural England may prioritise holders of Higher Level Stewardship agreements that expire before 31 March 2027, so if your agreement is ending, please speak to us early.
Common Higher Tier Actions and Payment Rates
| Action | Code | Payment rate |
|---|---|---|
| Woodland improvement | CWD2 | £127 per hectare (minimum payment £500) |
| Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland | CGS22 | £646 per hectare |
| Manage grassland for target habitats, species or features | CGS21 | £528 per hectare |
| Manage wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl | CGS19 | £547 per hectare |
| Manage traditional orchards | CBE4 | £264 per hectare |
| Create traditional orchards | CBE5 | £471 per hectare |
| Take historic and archaeological features out of cultivation | CHS2 | £613 per hectare |
| Manage hedgerows | CHRW4 | £13 per 100m (per side) |
| Manage low density in-field agroforestry on more sensitive land | CAGF2 | £385 per hectare |
Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF)
The FETF contributes towards specified items of equipment under three themes: productivity, slurry, and animal health and welfare. In 2026 each application had to be between £1,000 and £25,000, and a business could submit one application for each theme. The grant is 40% or 50% of the expected average cost of each item, or of the actual cost if that is lower.
The 2026 round closed at midday on 12 May 2026. No further round is open at present.
Common FETF 2026 Items and Grant Amounts
| Item | Code | Grant per item |
|---|---|---|
| Sheep handler | FETF71 | £1,690 |
| Mobile sheep handling system | FETF69 | £4,880 |
| Electronic weigh crate for sheep | FETF75 | £1,270 |
| EID panel reader for sheep | FETF74 | £792 |
| Automated footbath for sheep | FETF242A | £3,355 |
| Dribble bar (minimum working width 6m) | FETF32 | £5,250 |
| Trailing shoe slurry system (minimum working width 6m) | FETF36 | £7,375 |
| Umbilical hose reeler for slurry application | FETF38 | £5,067 |
| Grassland sward lifter | FETF112 | £1,800 |
| Solar powered water pump | FETF413 | £2,000 |
Improving Farm Productivity Grant
The Improving Farm Productivity grant supports larger investments that raise productivity. Round 2 funded:
- robotic or automatic equipment and systems for crop and livestock production
- wavelength-specific LED lighting for horticultural crops
- advanced ventilation control units for existing horticultural and livestock buildings
- solar PV systems on farm building rooftops and irrigation reservoirs, including batteries, inverters and grid connections
Productivity projects attracted a 50% grant, from a minimum of £25,000 to a maximum of £500,000 per business. Solar PV projects attracted a 25% grant, from £15,000 to £100,000, within the same overall cap of £500,000.
Round 2 is now closed for applications, and no further round is open at present.
Delinked Payments and the End of the Basic Payment Scheme
In England the Basic Payment Scheme has been replaced by delinked payments, which are reduced each year. GOV.UK states that 2027 will be the last year of delinked payments. For most farms, SFI, Countryside Stewardship and Capital Grants will therefore be the principal source of public funding from here on.
Keeping Your Agreement in Good Order
Securing an agreement is only the first part of the work. Once it is in place, you will need to:
- carry out each action on the correct land at the correct time
- keep the records and photographs each action requires
- notify the Rural Payments Agency of land changes, such as a field sold or a tenancy coming to an end
- be prepared for an inspection by the Rural Payments Agency
We can manage each of these on your behalf.
How We Work
- Call us and tell us about the farm and what you have in mind.
- We check which schemes are open and which your holding is eligible for.
- We prepare the application with you, submit it and manage the agreement and claims from there.
When to Apply for Farm Grants
Each scheme has its own application window, and several now close as soon as the funding is allocated. Having your land details, maps, plans and quotes ready before a window opens allows you to apply as soon as it does, so we recommend preparing well in advance.
Which grant windows are open now?
Schemes open and close through the year. Call us and we will tell you which are open for your holding.
Call 07857 877925Next Step
Call us on 07857 877925 or request a call back. It is helpful to have your SBI number and the details of any existing agreement to hand.
Common Questions
Is the Sustainable Farming Incentive open for applications?
Not at present (5 November 2026). SFI 2026 had two application windows. The first opened on 30 June 2026 and closed on 28 August 2026, and the second closed on 22 September 2026 once the funding had been taken up. Defra opens SFI in rounds, so please call us to check whether a further window has been announced.
Who could apply for SFI 2026?
Farmers and land managers with at least 3 hectares of agricultural land linked to their SBI, and management control of that land for the length of the agreement. The first window was for small farms and for farms without an existing agreement. The second was open to all eligible farm businesses registered with the Rural Payments Agency. Common land was not eligible.
What is the most a farm could receive from SFI 2026?
Each farm business, identified by its SBI, could apply for up to £100,000 per agreement year, and could hold only one SFI 2026 agreement across both windows. Agreements usually last three years and are paid in quarterly instalments. The amount actually received depends on the actions chosen and the area of land they cover.
What is Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier?
Higher Tier is the part of Countryside Stewardship for more complex environmental work, such as the management of priority habitats, woodland and scheduled monuments. Agreements are tailored to the land and usually prepared with advice from Natural England or the Forestry Commission. They last between five and twenty years, depending on the actions included.
Can I apply for Higher Tier without an invitation?
For some work, yes. Natural England now accepts expressions of interest for six topics: agroforestry, woodland improvement, species-rich grassland, scheduled monument management, traditional orchards, and wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl. Agreements combining several environmental actions still require an invitation from Natural England for pre-application advice.
Are Capital Grants open?
Not at present. The 2026 Capital Grants round opened on 30 July 2026 and has since closed, because each round closes once the available funding is allocated. It covered items for boundaries, trees and orchards, water quality, air quality and natural flood management. Having plans and quotes prepared in advance allows you to apply promptly when the next round opens.
Is the Basic Payment Scheme still paid?
No. In England the Basic Payment Scheme has been replaced by delinked payments, which are reduced each year. GOV.UK states that 2027 will be the last year of delinked payments, with the 2026 and 2027 payments made as single payments from 1 August. Income from SFI and Countryside Stewardship therefore matters more as these payments come to an end.
What is an SBI number?
An SBI, or Single Business Identifier, is the number the Rural Payments Agency gives a farm business when it registers on the Rural Payments service. You need one to apply for SFI, Countryside Stewardship and Capital Grants. If you have never registered, or your land details are out of date, it is wise to put that right before a scheme opens.
Can tenant farmers apply for farm schemes?
Often, yes. You need management control of the land for the whole agreement, so the length of your tenancy matters. Some work, such as planting trees or altering hedges, may also require your landlord's consent under the tenancy. We recommend reviewing the tenancy agreement and speaking to your landlord before you apply.
Do you help small farms with grant applications?
Yes, and small instructions are very welcome. Our director, Luke Banks MRICS FAAV, has more than a decade of experience in Land Agency. Please bear in mind that some schemes have a minimum size. SFI 2026, for example, required at least 3 hectares of agricultural land linked to the business's SBI.
What is the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund?
The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) contributes towards specified items of equipment under three themes: productivity, slurry, and animal health and welfare. In 2026 each application had to be between £1,000 and £25,000, with one application per theme. The 2026 round closed at midday on 12 May 2026, so please call us to ask about future rounds.
Can I still apply for the Improving Farm Productivity grant?
Not at present. Round 2 of the Improving Farm Productivity grant is closed for applications. It funded robotic and automatic equipment, specialist LED lighting, advanced ventilation and rooftop solar systems, with grants of up to £500,000 per business. We can tell you if a further round is announced and whether your project is likely to qualify.
Reviewed by Luke Banks MRICS FAAV, RICS Registered Valuer, on .
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