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Agriculture & Farming
Apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier
How to apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreements in England. Covers invitation priorities, the 99 base and 33 supplemental actions, pre-application advice from Natural England, rolling applications from September 2025, and payment rates by category.
UK-wide
Guide summary
You must be invited to apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). If invited, get advice from Natural England or the Forestry Commission before applying. Choose between 5 or 10-year agreements for complex land management.
- CSHT is invitation-only — you cannot apply without one
- Get pre-application advice from Natural England first
- Choose 5 or 10-year agreements for complex land management
- Higher Tier suits designated sites like SSSIs or commons
- Payments range from £151 to £1,409 per hectare per year
- Capital grants available for fencing, gates, and water troughs
- Apply year-round from September 2025
- Priority given to expiring agreements and designated sites
- Includes 99 base actions and 33 supplemental actions
- Submit annual claims to receive payments
On this page
UK-wide
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Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) is the most comprehensive environmental land management scheme available in England. It provides 5 or 10-year agreements for complex environmental management requiring specialist knowledge and targeted interventions.
Unlike the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), CSHT is invitation-only. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) invites farmers in priority categories to apply, and you must receive pre-application advice from Natural England or the Forestry Commission before submitting your application.
CSHT status: OPEN for rolling applications
From September 2025, CSHT accepts rolling applications from invited applicants. Unlike the old annual window, you can apply throughout the year once invited. Monthly agreement start dates are available.
What CSHT offers
CSHT is designed for farms requiring complex environmental management that goes beyond the baseline actions available in SFI. This includes:
- Designated sites requiring specialist management (SSSIs, National Nature Reserves)
- Priority habitats needing targeted prescriptions
- Woodland creation and management under approved plans
- Landscape-scale environmental improvements
- Species recovery for priority species
Agreement length: You can choose between 5-year or 10-year agreements. Longer agreements suit major habitat restoration projects where environmental benefits take time to develop.
Who is being invited to apply
CSHT is invitation-only. The RPA invites applicants in priority categories on a rolling monthly basis. You cannot apply without an invitation.
Priority categories for invitations
RPA prioritises the following groups:
Not in a priority category?
If you are not in a priority category, you may need to wait for invitation rounds to expand, or consider alternative schemes. Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants are available through periodic funding rounds without invitation requirements. When the SFI 2026 application windows open (30 June 2026 for small farms and those without ELM revenue agreements, September 2026 for all), that will offer a more accessible route for environmental payments.
The 99 base actions and 33 supplemental actions
CSHT offers a comprehensive menu of environmental actions organised into categories. The scheme includes 99 base actions that can be applied independently, plus 33 supplemental actions that must be combined with base actions.
Grassland management actions
For managing permanent grassland, meadows, and pastures:
Arable and horticultural actions
For farms with arable land or horticultural production:
Water and peatland actions
For farms with water features, wetlands, or peatland:
Capital items (one-off payments)
CSHT includes capital grants for infrastructure and establishment works:
The application process
CSHT applications follow a structured process with several stages. Allow several months from invitation to agreement start.
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Step 1: Receive invitation from RPA
The RPA reviews farms against priority criteria and sends invitation letters to eligible applicants. Check your Rural Payments portal and registered email address regularly. Invitations are issued on a rolling monthly basis.
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Step 2: Request pre-application advice
Once invited, you must receive pre-application advice before submitting your application. Contact Natural England (for most land types) or Forestry Commission (for woodland). This advice is free and helps you identify appropriate actions for your land.
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Step 3: Receive pre-application advice visit
An adviser will visit your farm to assess environmental features, identify priority actions, and discuss management prescriptions. They will produce a written report recommending suitable CSHT actions.
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Step 4: Prepare your application
Using the pre-application advice, prepare your application through the Rural Payments portal. Map the land parcels where you will deliver each action. Include capital items if required.
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Step 5: Submit application
Submit your completed application through the Rural Payments service. Include all required maps, documentation, and evidence of land control.
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Step 6: Application assessment
RPA assesses your application against scheme criteria. They may request additional information or clarification. Assessment typically takes 2-3 months.
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Step 7: Receive and accept agreement offer
If successful, you receive an agreement offer specifying actions, payment rates, and management requirements. Review carefully and accept within the deadline (usually 10 working days).
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Step 8: Agreement starts
Your agreement starts on the next available monthly start date. Begin delivering agreed actions according to the management prescriptions.
Pre-application advice is mandatory
You cannot submit a CSHT application without first receiving pre-application advice from Natural England or Forestry Commission. This ensures actions are appropriate for your land and environmental objectives.
Contact details:
- Natural England enquiries: 0300 060 3900
- Forestry Commission: Contact your local Forestry Commission woodland officer
Rolling applications from September 2025
The improved CSHT scheme introduced rolling applications from September 2025. This is a significant change from the previous system:
How rolling applications work
- Monthly invitations: RPA issues invitations throughout the year (not just annually)
- Flexible submission: Once invited, you can submit when ready (not tied to annual deadlines)
- Monthly start dates: Agreements can start on the first of any month
- Continuous processing: Applications are assessed as received, not held for annual decisions
Benefits of rolling applications
- Reduced pressure - no need to rush for annual deadlines
- Better planning - start agreements when it suits your farming calendar
- Faster decisions - applications processed continuously rather than batched
- Smoother transitions - expiring agreements can roll directly into new ones
Combining CSHT with other schemes
You can hold CSHT alongside other environmental agreements, provided you do not receive duplicate payments for the same actions on the same land.
What you CAN combine
- CSHT on designated sites + SFI on other land parcels (when SFI reopens)
- CSHT revenue actions + standalone Capital Grants
- CSHT + delinked payments (until 2027)
- CSHT + Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) if in a National Park or AONB
What you CANNOT combine
- Two different grassland prescriptions on the same field
- Duplicate payments for identical actions on the same land parcel
- Actions with conflicting management requirements on the same land
Agriculture & Farming
Advantage
Baseline + targeted strategy
Many farmers maximise income by using CSHT for high-value environmental features (SSSIs, priority habitats, wetlands) while using SFI for whole-farm baseline actions when it reopens.
The RPA mapping system prevents accidental duplicate claims. Compatible actions can be 'stacked' on different parts of the same farm.
Who this applies to: Farmers with both designated sites and general agricultural land
Enforcement: RPA systems verify compatibility; Natural England advice identifies appropriate combinations
Common reasons applications are rejected
Avoid these common issues that cause CSHT applications to fail:
- Applying without invitation: You must wait for an RPA invitation before applying
- Skipping pre-application advice: Mandatory - applications without it are rejected
- Incorrect land mapping: Land parcels must be accurately mapped and match your Rural Payments data
- Incompatible actions: Some actions cannot be combined on the same land
- Missing management control evidence: You must prove you control the land for the agreement duration
- Ineligible land: Some land types are not eligible for certain actions
- Late acceptance: Agreement offers must be accepted within the deadline
Record keeping and inspections
CSHT agreements include record keeping requirements and may be subject to inspection.
Records you must keep
- Maps showing where actions are delivered
- Dates of management activities (cutting, grazing, applications)
- Stocking records if grazing is part of the prescription
- Seed and plant source records for establishment actions
- Photographic evidence (recommended but not always mandatory)
- Capital works invoices and completion evidence
Inspections
RPA conducts inspections to verify agreement compliance. Inspections may be:
- Remote: Using satellite imagery and aerial photography
- On-farm: Physical visits to check management practices
- Targeted: Following up on potential compliance issues
Non-compliance can result in payment reductions or agreement termination. If you cannot meet a prescription due to circumstances beyond your control (e.g., extreme weather), contact RPA immediately to discuss force majeure provisions.
Getting help
CSHT is complex. Sources of support include:
Government and agency support:
- Rural Payments Agency helpline: 03000 200 301 (Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm)
- Natural England: 0300 060 3900 for pre-application advice and designated site queries
- Forestry Commission: Contact your local woodland officer for woodland actions
- Catchment Sensitive Farming: Free environmental advice in priority catchments
Professional advice:
- RICS rural surveyors: Can prepare applications and Farm Environment Plans
- Environmental consultants: Specialist habitat and species advice
- NFU/CLA advisers: Member services for scheme guidance
- Tenant Farmers Association: For tenant-specific considerations
LAND AREA
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Small farms - consider SFI when it reopens
CSHT is designed for complex environmental management, often on larger holdings or designated sites. If you have a smaller farm without SSSIs or priority habitats, SFI may be more appropriate when applications open on 30 June 2026 (small farms of 50 hectares or less and/or those without an ELM revenue agreement) or September 2026 (all farmers).
However, if you have specific high-value environmental features (rare habitats, species, or designated areas), CSHT may still be relevant regardless of farm size.
Next steps
Based on your situation:
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If you have an expiring HLS or CSHT agreement
You should be a priority for invitation. Check your Rural Payments portal and registered email. If you have not received an invitation and your agreement expires soon, contact RPA.
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If you have a SSSI or designated site
Contact Natural England about CSHT eligibility. Designated sites typically require Higher Tier management and you may be prioritised for invitation.
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If you have an approved woodland plan
Contact the Forestry Commission about CSHT woodland actions. You may be prioritised for invitation based on your approved plan.
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If you are not in a priority category
Consider Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (no invitation required) while waiting. Prepare for SFI reopening in 2026. Monitor RPA communications for expanding invitation criteria.
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If you have received an invitation
Contact Natural England or Forestry Commission promptly to arrange pre-application advice. Do not delay - the advice visit and application preparation take time.