Policy paper

Information for farmers, foresters and land managers about Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier

Published 21 May 2024

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Applies to England

When you can apply to CS Higher Tier  

This summer, we will publish CS Higher Tier information setting out: 

• who is eligible  
• how to apply and request specialist advice for Higher Tier actions 
• details of each Higher Tier action available to apply for 

If you’re eligible to apply for CS Higher Tier actions, you may need specialist advice before you start your application. You’ll normally get this advice through Natural England or Forestry Commission. You may need additional advice from Historic England. 

Later this summer, you’ll be able to start working with Natural England or Forestry Commission to prepare to apply for CS Higher Tier. This includes any feasibility studies or plans you may need to do.   

You’ll be able to submit your online application for CS Higher Tier in the Rural Payments service this winter, with the first agreements starting from early 2025. Applications will then stay open throughout the year, so you can choose when to apply. Agreements will normally start the month after your application is approved.  

What you can get paid to do in CS Higher Tier 

CS Higher Tier will offer farmers, foresters and land managers agreements for multi-year land management actions to protect, restore or enhance the environment. It is different to SFI because you’ll work with Natural England or Forestry Commission to tailor actions to your land. You may also need additional advice from Historic England. 

CS Higher Tier will include a range of actions to: 

• manage woodland 
• manage agroforestry 
• create, restore and manage different habitats, including wetlands, coastal habitats, lowland peat and grassland habitats 
• manage waterbodies such as lakes, ponds and rivers 
• manage land to help prevent, or increase resilience to flooding 
• support species recovery through managing specific animal and plant species 
• provide permissive access to the public 
• support conservation and restoration of historic and archaeological features  

Annex A includes a summary of the actions that will be available in CS Higher Tier. It provides information on the aim of the actions, their duration and the payment rate. 

You’ll also be able to apply for some SFI actions through CS Higher Tier, where: 

• CS Higher Tier actions need to be done in combination with SFI actions to deliver the intended outcomes, and in some cases may need to be tailored to the specific site 
• they are supplements that support the delivery of other actions 

Annex B includes an indicative list of the SFI actions that we expect to be available through CS Higher Tier. We will provide an update this summer.  

You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the aims of the CS Higher Tier actions. New capital items will be available later this year. We will publish information on new and existing capital items this summer. 

If you need to complete a feasibility study or a plan before you apply, you can apply for funding through Capital Grants.  

How we’ve improved CS Higher Tier 

We are making several changes to CS Higher Tier, building on improvements we have already made in SFI. These changes include:  

• rolling applications so you can apply at a time that suits you 
• a clearer and faster process to develop and approve applications  
• monthly agreement start dates, once your application has been developed and approved  
• quarterly payments, so you’re paid in instalments rather than a single annual payment 
• more flexible, less prescriptive actions where possible 

CS Higher Tier will be directed at the most environmentally important sites such as sites of special scientific interest, commons and woodlands, and you’ll need to work with Natural England or Forestry Commission to apply.

We are working to increase the number of CS Higher Tier applications we can take forward. The improvements will help us support twice as many people to get a CS Higher Tier agreement by the end of 2025 to 2026.

This means you may be able to get a CS Higher Tier agreement when in the past you may have been unsuccessful. If you’re unlikely to be accepted into a CS Higher Tier agreement, we will tell you as early as possible, for example so you can choose to apply for SFI instead. 

Who is eligible for CS Higher Tier  

To be eligible for CS Higher Tier, the land you manage must be entirely in England. You’re eligible if you’re a:  

• landowner or occupier  
• tenant with management control of eligible land for the duration of your agreement actions or have your landlord’s countersignature  
• landlord  

Depending on the actions you want to apply for, eligible land could include:  

• agricultural land  
• woodland  
• protected sites, such as sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) and Scheduled Monuments, or Registered Parks and Gardens 
• common land or shared grazing land 

We will publish what land is eligible for each action this summer.