FG4: Rabbit fencing supplement

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the rabbit fencing supplement.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
3 February 2025 — See all updates
Grant type:
Capital item
Land use:
Air quality, Biodiversity, Grassland, Livestock management and Priority habitats
Show 3 more
Uplands, Water quality, and Woodland
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier, Mid Tier and Standalone capital items
Funding (per unit per year):
Up to £100

This item is part of Capital Grants. You must read the Capital items: guidance for applicants and agreement holders to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid 

£5.65 per metre (m).

How this supplement benefits the environment

Controlling rabbits protects environmental features and helps to manage habitats.

This item can help you protect, recover and improve biodiversity on your land.

Where you can use this supplement 

You can use this supplement with:

FG1: Fencing

FG2: Sheep netting

FG3: Permanent electric fencing

FG9: Deer fencing

Alternatively, you can use this supplement with a Woodland Tree Health Grant in combination with:

FG1: Fencing

FG2: Sheep netting

FG9: Deer fencing

What you must do to use this supplement

You must:

  • use galvanised 18-gauge and 31 millimetres (mm) hexagonal wire mesh to construct the rabbit fence
  • attach the netting to a pair of high tensile, spring steel straining wires that are at least 265mm – you must also use galvanised netting rings
  • make sure there’s one straining wire at the bottom of the fence and one at the top
  • bury the bottom edge of the netting to a depth of at least 150mm, or lap the netting on the surface of the ground towards the rabbit threat
  • anchor lapped netting at 1m intervals

Evidence you must keep 

You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide with your claim.

You must also keep and provide on request:

  • any consents or permissions connected with the work
  • receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
  • photographs of the existing site before work starts

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

Items you can use with this item

You can use this item with FY6: Restore coppicing in woodland

Advice to help you use this supplement

The following advice may help you to use this supplement, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this supplement’s requirements.   

Use this supplement on a site where there’s evidence of damage caused by rabbits, such as significant burrowing or crop damage.

British Standards

Check to make sure the work meets relevant British Standards.

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 3 February 2025 + show all updates

  1. General improvement for clarity.

  2. Removal of text confirming FG4 Rabbit fencing supplement availability under Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (SFI pilot), as the SFI Capital offer is no longer available.

  3. 'Where to use this item' section updated to include detail on SFI pilot.

  4. 'Air quality' added to Land use.

  5. Added in links to Capital Grants manual as this option is now available for Capital Grants

  6. Page updated to show latest record keeping

  7. Capital item now includes woodland.

  8. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  9. First published.

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