How to get paid under an Environmental Stewardship agreement
Guidance for Environmental Stewardship agreement holders on how to claim an annual or capital payment.
Applies to England
Make a claim
The final deadline for submitting your annualclaim, revenueand claimany supporting documents and evidence was 11:59pm on 15 May 2025.
You can continue to submit until 11.59pm on 1 September 2025.2025 but we will apply reductions to claims received after the 15 May deadline, depending on when we receive your form:
between16May2025and2June2025:areductionof5%ofyourtotalpaymentforthisclaimyearwillbeappliedbetween3June2025and30June2025:areductionof10%ofyourtotalpaymentforthisclaimyearwillbeappliedbetween1July2025and1September2025:areductionof25%ofyourtotalpaymentforthisclaimyearwillbeapplied
We will not pay claims that are submitted after 11.59pm on 1 September 2025, unless you have a good reason, or other exceptional circumstances apply.
Read the How to complete your Environmental Stewardship claim form to help you complete your form.
Make a claim for capital works under HLS
Contact RPA to request a capital works claim form. You can claim:
- throughout the year when you complete work as specified in your agreement
- for capital works for educational access visits
You’ll need to complete the VAT declaration: Higher Level Stewardship if you are not registered for VAT with HM Revenue and Customs.
Getting paid
It’s important that your bank account details are up to date and valid or RPA will not be able pay you. To amend your bank account details, sign in to the Rural Payments service and select ‘view and amend bank details’ on the business overview page.
How HMRC treats subsidy payments
Your grant and subsidy payments are paid before tax is taken off. You may need to tell HMRC about these if you or your business pay UK tax. For more information, read HMRC’s Business Income Manual BIM40451 - Specific receipts: grants and subsidies: introduction - HMRC internal manual. If you have an accountant, you should also discuss this with them.
Changes to your agreement
You must notify RPA in writing before you make any changes to your agreement. This is in addition to completing your claim form. Check your Agreement holders’ information: Environmental Stewardship for details of the requirements and deadlines for making changes.
Your payments may be affected if you do not meet the requirements and deadlines in your handbook.
Contact RPA
You can contact RPA by email, phone or post.
Rural Payments Agency (ES)
PO Box 90
Worksop
S80 9HD
Email: ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk
Telephone: 03000 200 301 (select the option for Environmental Stewardship)
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (excluding public holidays)
Updates to this page
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ES window closed
Update history
2025-09-02 00:15
ES window closed
2025-05-16 00:15
Updated GOV.UK to say that the submit without penalties date has passed and added in reduction percentages.
2025-04-09 09:30
How to amend your bank account details updated. Customers can now do this by signing into the Rural Payments service.
2025-03-17 00:15
Information updated to explain you can make an annual or capital claim for 2025
2024-09-03 00:01
Updated to confirm that the revenue claim window for 2024 is now closed.
2024-05-16 00:05
Updated to show that the deadline for submitting annual revenue claims without reductions has passed
2024-03-14 01:00
Revenue claim update
2023-09-01 00:15
Information about making a revenue claim updated as claims closed on 31 August 2023.
2023-05-16 00:15
Page updated to reflect the annual revenue claim without reductions deadline closed at midnight on 15 May 2023.
2023-03-14 10:00
Addition of information about making a revenue claim in 2023 and how HMRC treats subsidy payments.
2022-06-11 00:15
Publication of closure of Environmental Stewardship claims for 2022.
2022-03-15 08:42
Updated for opening of ES revenue claims for 2022.