The claim window for existing Countryside Stewardship (CS) revenue and Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements has opened in England. Farmers must submit an annual declaration or claim form for works carried out through the schemes in 2024 by 11.59pm on Wednesday 15th May to receive payment without reduction.
Countryside Stewardship
Before you submit your CS claim, you need to make sure you have updated your land use codes by signing into the Rural Payments service. If you are unable to access the Rural Payments service, email the RPA at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk.
If you’re a CS agreement holder who submits an annual revenue claim, an annual declaration will be available to you in the Rural Payments service.
If there are any changes to your claim from last year or your agreement includes rotational options, you will need to tell the RPA.
Environmental Stewardship
If you are an ES agreement holder, you will receive your claim form by either email or post. You need to complete it and return it to the RPA to submit your claim.
Reductions applied to late claims
If you miss this deadline, you still have until 11.59pm on Wednesday 2nd September 2024 to submit a claim, but a reduction will be applied to the value of your claim.
The reductions will be applied in the following way:
| Date claim received | Reduction applied to claim value |
| On or before 15th May | no reduction – full value paid |
| Between 16th and 31st May | 5% reduction |
| Between 1st June and 1st July | 10% reduction |
| Between 2nd July and 2nd September | 25% reduction |
| After 2nd September or not received at all | 100% reduction – no claim paid |
Read guidance on GOV.UK for more information on how to make a Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship revenue claim.
If you would like to find out about our competitively priced service for completing claims and applications, please contact our Stewardship and Grants Team on 01981 590514.
