Countryside Stewardship Capital Grant Scheme Now Open for 2026

FG2 Sheep Netting is one of the available options

Businesses can apply for capital grants again from today, with each business able to make one application per year (based on SBI number).

There are 80 grant items available, under 6 group headings, being:

• Air quality - £25,000 cap 

• Assessments 

• Boundaries, trees and orchards £35,000 cap

• Natural flood management - £25,000 cap

• Improvements 

• Water quality - £25,000 cap

Some of the most popular application items here are as follows:

FG2: Sheep netting - GOV.UK

FG12: Wooden field gate - GOV.UK

BN5: Hedgerow laying - GOV.UK

RP1: Resurfacing of gateways - GOV.UK

LV7: Livestock troughs - GOV.UK

LV8: Pipework associated with livestock troughs - GOV.UK

For a full list of the items currently available, please see the grant finder here.

As with previous rounds of these grants, some options will require endorsement from a Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer prior to submitting an application, which must be applied from from the local team - do note it can take up to 10 weeks for a decision here. Whilst grant approval applications are closed for this round of the grant, you can apply now ready for next years application window.

Options here include:

• Concrete yard renewal

• Livestock and machinery hardcore tracks

• Roofing

Do note that all works must be completed to meet a minimum specification to ensure grant funding is paid following works.

As per all previous rounds of this grant, works cannot be started until after the start date of an agreement, if offered. Monies can then be claimed back once works are completed (minimum of £500 per claim, bar the final claim) alongside submission of a claim alongside the necessary supporting evidence.

Whilst there is no set closing date for this grant application, this round of funding will close once the available budget has been spent. The budget for 2026 is larger than in 2025, but demand is expected to be strong and therefore I encourage anyone thinking of submitting an application here to do this as soon as possible.

If you would like any further information here, or would like assistance with an application for a grant, please do not hesitate to contact Gemma on 07533340847 or by email on gemma@blackdownconsulting.co.uk