Guidance

How to get paid under an Environmental Stewardship agreement

Guidance for Environmental Stewardship agreement holders on how to claim a revenue or capital payment.

Applies to England

Make a revenue claim

The deadline for submitting your annual revenue claim without reductions is 11.59pm on 15 May 2024.

You can continue to submit until 11.59pm on 2 September 2024 but we will apply reductions to claims received after the 15 May deadline, depending on when we receive your form.

We cannot accept any claims received after 2 September 2024.

Read the How to complete your Environmental Stewardship revenue 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 HLS VAT declaration form 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, call us on 03000 200 301. You can’t change them online or by email.

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. 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’s handbook 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) 

Find out about call charges

Published 11 September 2014
Last updated 14 March 2024 + show all updates
  1. Revenue claim update

  2. Information about making a revenue claim updated as claims closed on 31 August 2023.

  3. Page updated to reflect the annual revenue claim without reductions deadline closed at midnight on 15 May 2023.

  4. Addition of information about making a revenue claim in 2023 and how HMRC treats subsidy payments.

  5. Publication of closure of Environmental Stewardship claims for 2022.

  6. Updated for opening of ES revenue claims for 2022.

  7. Edited latest news to confirm deadline has passed for submitting annual ES revenue claim. Removed out of date information.

  8. Amended the Claims are open window to confirm deadline has passed, but claims can still be made up to 11 June with penalties. Also amended wording below re claims being sent to customers in March as this is now in the past.

  9. Text updated for claims opening on 18 March.

  10. Removed section ‘Making a claim’ and amended ‘Claim deadline’ to say that Claims closed at midnight on 10 July 2020. We cannot accept late claims.

  11. Claim closing date updated to midnight on 10 July.

  12. Updated for 2019.

  13. Deadline for late applications and amendments has passed.

  14. Deadline for late amendments to claims is 11 June.

  15. Deadline for late claims is 11 June 2018. Deadline for amendments to claims is 31 May.

  16. Updated for 2018 claims round.

  17. Added information about claiming a payment in 2016.

  18. Page updated with information for 2016 claims.

  19. Updated information about declaring the location of rotational arable options.

  20. Change to how to make a claim in 2015.

  21. claim deadline extended by 1 month to 15 June

  22. First published.