Guidance

Mode Shift Revenue Support and Waterborne Freight Grant applications: overview

Updated 19 January 2026

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-transport-delivers-more-grant-funding-to-transport-freight-by-rail/mode-shift-revenue-support-and-waterborne-freight-grant-applications-and-background-information

Grant schemes extended until March 2027

Mode Shift Revenue Support (MSRS) scheme and Waterborne Freight Grant (WFG) are extended until March 2027.

Freight grants guidance

There are 2 steps to apply for and receive funding from the:

Companies must:

  1. Originally register, to be verified by the Department for Transport (DfT) as suitable to receive journey grant funding.
  2. Make individual claims for individual journeys, once registered and verified.

Applying for freight grants

To bid for the different freight grant schemes, complete the:

Applications are prioritised on the basis of value for money using the benefit cost ratio (BCR). Applications need to have a minimum BCR of 2:1 and a value of £5,000.

Application closing dates

MSRS and WFG extended until March 2027.

The closing date for MSRS funding applications is 6 February 2026.

The closing date for WFG funding applications is 15 February 2026.

Claiming for payment

Following an award, you can make a freight grant scheme claim by emailing freightgrants@dft.gov.uk with the relevant completed form. The form you need to use is:

Grants awarded

To fulfil the subsidy control transparency obligations, details of grant allocation data is published / updated every 6 months on the Subsidy Control Database:  

View subsidies awarded by UK public authorities 

Access instructions:  

Step 1: Click: ‘Start Now’ 

Step 2: Click: ‘View all subsidy awards made under schemes’ 

Step 3: Set the filters as below:  

  • purpose: Environmental protection

  • sector: Transportation and storage  

  • form: Direct grant

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