Guidance

Mode Shift Revenue Support and Waterborne Freight Grant applications: overview

Updated 29 December 2025

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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

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

We will update this web page, the accompanying guidance and the application closing date for WFG in due course. In the meantime, if you would like more information on either grant scheme, please contact DfT at FREIGHTGRANTS@dft.gov.uk.

Freight grants guidance

Please note that the guidance below is out of date and will be updated in due course.

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. We will update the guidance for these schemes in due course.

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

We will confirm the closing date for WFG funding applications in due course.

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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