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Environmental Stewardship: guidance and forms for agreement holders

Use these documents to meet the requirements for an Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), Organic ELS, Uplands ELS or Higher Level Stewardship agreement.

Published 17 April 2015
Last updated 19 August 2019 — see all updates

• From: Rural Payments Agency, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and Natural England

Latest news

How you contact us about Environmental Stewardship is changing

From 1 July, if you want to contact us about Environmental Stewardship you can phone our Customer Service Centre on 03000 200 301 or email us at: ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk and include ‘Environmental Stewardship’ in the email subject line.

This means Natural England National Enquiries will no longer accept calls or emails about Environmental Stewardship.

All other email addresses and phone numbers used previously will be unavailable and any customers calling direct lines will be asked to contact the Customer Service Centre.

In addition to our existing security measures, this change will keep your information safe.

What do I need to do now?

Sign in to the Rural Payments service and make sure your details are registered and up to date. We will use these details to confirm your identity when you contact us.

You will need your Customer Reference Number (CRN) and password, or sign in through GOV.UK Verify, then:

• update your email address
• update your telephone numbers
• update your business permission levels
• add people to your business (with ‘View Business’ permissions, for example.)

For more information about what you can do in the Rural Payments service, go to the Rural Payments: registering and updating your details page.

If you need any help updating your details, please call us on 03000 200 301 and choose the ‘Rural Payments registration’ option.

Guidance

1. Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) 2020 agreement extension
   • 12 September 2019
   • Guidance
2. Agreement holders’ information: Environmental Stewardship
   • 1 July 2019
   • Guidance
3. Changes to digital maps that may affect stewardship and forestry scheme agreements
   • 4 July 2018
   • Guidance
4. Inspection: Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship
   • 28 June 2018
   • Guidance
5. Additions, transfers and option changes to existing agreements: Environmental Stewardship
   • 23 September 2015
   • Guidance
6. Educational access visits on your land: Environmental Stewardship
   • 11 September 2014
   • Guidance
7. Hot and dry weather conditions in England
   • 3 August 2018
   • Guidance
8. How to get paid under an agreement: Environmental Stewardship
   • 13 March 2019
   • Guidance
9. How HS2 affects payments for stewardship scheme agreements
   • 27 March 2018
   • Guidance
10. HS2 information for farmers and growers
    • 4 July 2019
    • Guidance
11. Temporary Prescription Adjustments
    • 31 October 2018
    • Guidance

Forms: all scheme levels

1. Minor and temporary adjustment (MTA) form: Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship
   • 16 August 2019
   • Form
2. Agent authorisation: Environmental Stewardship
   • 13 February 2015
   • Form
3. Shared grazing and common land: Environmental Stewardship
   • 19 October 2011
   • Form
4. Supplementary land ownership and control: Environmental Stewardship
   • 22 January 2009
   • Form
5. Livestock record-keeping: Environmental Stewardship
   • 11 April 2016
   • Form

Forms: Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), Organic ELS and Uplands ELS

1. Field parcel reconciliation: Organic Entry Level Stewardship
   • 22 January 2009
   • Form

Forms: Higher Level Stewardship

1. Farm visit evaluation: Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship
   • 6 July 2015
   • Form
2. VAT declaration: Higher Level Stewardship
   • 13 March 2019
   • Form
3. Source of British native-origin seed: Higher Level Stewardship
   • 22 January 2009
   • Form

Published 17 April 2015
Last updated 19 August 2019 + show all updates

1. 19 August 2019 Added the 'Minor and temporary adjustment (MTA) form: Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship' to the Forms section All Schemes
2. 20 June 2019 Latest news item added to inform customers the way they contact us about Environmental Stewardship is changing from 1 July 2019
3. 16 May 2019 Information updated following 15 May deadline.
4. 12 April 2019 Information published about Drop-in centres.
5. 1 August 2018 Link to guidance for those finding it difficult to meet scheme requirements due to hot and dry weather conditions.
6. 12 June 2018 Deadline for late applications and amendments has passed.
7. 1 June 2018 Deadline for late amendments to claims is 11 June.
8. 16 May 2018 Deadline for late claims is 11 June 2018. Deadline for amendments to claims is 31 May.
9. 3 August 2017 Guidance for agreement holders affected by HS2.
10. 17 April 2015 First published.