Before you start your application

It’s important that you do the following in the order we’ve listed them:

1. Register or sign in to the Rural Payments service

To receive Countryside Stewardship (CS) payments you must be registered in the Rural Payments service. To find out how to do this, read ‘Rural Payments service: registering and updating your details’ on GOV.UK.

2. Check and change

Check that your personal details, business details, and digital maps are up to date, and update them if needed.

You must register all of the land on your application in the Rural Payments service.

To find out how to do this read ‘Rural Payments service: registering and updating your details’ on GOV.UK. (You may also find the Rural Land and Entitlements (RLE1) guidance useful, which is also on GOV.UK.)

If you do not have access to the internet, you can call us on 03000 200 301.

3. Check your permissions

To submit an application, you must have the Countryside Stewardship (Applications) ‘Submit’ Permission level. You can find more information on the Permission levels screen in the Rural Payments service (https://www.gov.uk/claim-rural-payments). This lists what is permitted at each level.

If you prefer, you can authorise an agent to fill in and submit your application for you. For an agent to act for you, you must give them the appropriate permission levels in the Rural Payments service (https://www.gov.uk/claim-rural-payments) on GOV.UK. This applies even if you have previously authorised the agent using the paper agent authorisation form.

Read ‘Give someone else permission to act on your behalf’ on GOV.UK for more information on the different levels of permission.

4. Read the scheme manual and other guidance

All the guidance and information you need for CS in 2021 is on GOV.UK.

• For the Woodland Creation and Maintenance requirements, search for the Woodland Creation and Maintenance grant manual.
• For information about options and items available, search for Countryside Stewardship grants.
• For information about what evidence is needed for your application, and whether you need to submit it with your application or keep it until you’re asked for it, search for Countryside Stewardship grants.
• For guidance about other agri-environment agreements and BPS, search for Agri-environment schemes (CS and ES) and BPS.

If you cannot access GOV.UK, you can email or call us to request a paper copy of the Woodland Creation and Maintenance manual.

Remember, it’s your responsibility to make sure that:

• you meet the scheme rules
• all the eligible land included in your application is correct, to the best of your knowledge.

5. Get the application form and annex

You can download the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation and Maintenance Application Form from GOV.UK. Search for Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation and Maintenance Grant Application Form. If you cannot access GOV.UK, email us at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk, or call us on 03000 200 301, to request a copy.

You also need to fill in a Woodland Creation and Maintenance Annex and send this to us with your application form. Email ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk, or call us, to get a copy of this.

6. Apply for Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation and Maintenance grant

Continue to the ‘How to apply’ section.