Guidance

How to complete your online Woodland Management Plan grant application

Updated 6 December 2023

Applies to England

This guidance explains how to complete your Countryside Stewardship (CS) Woodland Management Plan grant application using the Rural Payments service.

You can apply for a Woodland Management Plan (WMP) grant throughout the year.

Read the WMP applicant’s guide to check your personal details, business details, permission levels and land use, and change them if needed, before you start your application.

Read the information in this guide to help you complete your application. When you’ve completed your application, you can then confirm and submit it.

You also need to send your supporting documents and application map(s) to RPA – read the ‘Supporting documents and evidence’ section for more information.

Complete your online application

Use this section to help you complete your application. You must also complete applications map(s) – read Annex 1 and the ‘Supporting documents’ section.

Getting started

Before you start your application you must read the WMP applicant’s guide.

After you’ve signed in to the Rural Payments service, click ‘View business’. Scroll down the ‘Business overview’ screen and click ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’.

If you cannot see the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ link, you should check that you have the correct permission level to create an application. For more information read the ‘Check your permission levels’ section. If you still cannot see the link after your permission level has been updated in the Rural Payments service, you should ‘sign out’ then ‘sign in’ again, to refresh your account.

Use the CS application screens to apply online for the WMP grant.

There’s a ‘Help’ link on the screens that will take you through each process step-by-step.

Create your WMP application

On the CS applications screen, click the button for the offer you want to ‘Apply’ for.

When your application is successfully created a ‘Successful’ message will appear.

Scroll down the screen and click ‘Back’ to return to the previous screen where you can ‘open’ your application. Read the ‘Open your application’ section.

Open your application

After you’ve successfully created your application, you’ll see it in the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen with its own application number. The status will be ‘Application Created’.

Click ‘Open’ to continue your application.

Edit your application

Using the list on your screen, you can add details to your online application using ‘Edit your application’ or use the other choices to create the land parcel warnings report again and application summary.

Click ‘Edit your Application’.

A list of everything you need to do in your application appears.

Add an agreement name

To make it easier for you to identify the agreement, give your agreement/application a name. Enter a name into the box and then click ‘Save’ and ‘Close’ to return to the previous screen. You can use both letters and numbers in the agreement name.

Eligibility

You must answer all the eligibility questions.

Click ‘Eligibility’ and answer each question with a Yes or No.

You must answer all the questions accurately, as the answers are used to assess your eligibility.

For more information about eligibility read section 3 in the WMP applicant’s guide.

First question – you must be able to answer ‘Yes’ to confirm that you have management control through the agreement. If you answer ‘No’, you must remove the land parcels and relevant options from this application which you do not have management control over.

Second question – you must be able to answer ‘Yes’ to confirm that you are not seeking funding in this application for the activities outlined in the question. If you answer ‘No’, because you cannot give the confirmation, you must remove the options from this application that would provide this funding.

The remaining questions are self-explanatory and also need to be completed before you can progress the application.

Click ‘Save’ after you’ve completed all of the questions and you’ll receive a message confirming the details have ‘saved’ successfully. If you have not answered a question, a message will appear in red asking you to answer it.

After you’ve successfully saved your answers, click ‘Close’ to return to the previous screen.

Add land parcels (locations of woodland)

All woodland on your holding should be included in your WMP. Therefore, you need to add all your land parcels to your application that contain woodland. Land parcels already included in another CS agreement or in an Environmental Stewardship (ES) Higher Level Stewardship agreement are also eligible for a WMP, provided the same WMP is not being funded twice, and the options and items are compatible. For more information about including all your woodland read the WMP applicant’s guide or search for capital item PA3 in Countryside Stewardship grant finder.

Click ‘Locations of woodland (parcels under agreement)’.

Click ‘Import parcels’ to open a window with a list of all of the land parcels under your SBI.

The screen shows a list of all parcels associated with your SBI. The system shows the very latest live parcel information. If a land parcel is missing read the ‘Check and Change’ section.

You can then add individual land parcels you want to include in your application.

To add land parcels to your application one at a time click ‘Add’ next to each land parcel you want to include. After you’ve added a land parcel, the ‘Add’ button changes to ‘Remove’. Click ‘Remove’ to take land parcels from your application.

Or you can add all of the land parcels in the list together by clicking ‘Import all parcels’.

Check land parcel warnings

After you’ve added all of the required land parcels to the application you can check whether any of them are already included in another application or agreement.

To check whether they’re in a live agreement, ‘View and print your Parcels under agreement warnings report’.

To check whether they’re in another application click ‘Check Parcels’, and a new column will appear for ‘Parcel Availability’.

If the land parcel is not in another application a tick will show next to the relevant land parcel details.

If any land parcel is already in another type of application, a ‘Warning’ button will appear for that land parcel. You must remove all land parcels with warnings, as explained later in this section.

Your list of land parcels may extend over 2 or more pages depending on the number of land parcels you have. The number of pages of land parcels shows at the bottom of the list. Click the single arrow to move to the next page of the list.

If there are no warnings in the ‘Parcel availability’ column, and you want to use all of the land parcels in the list in your application, click ‘Close’ to continue your application.

Click ‘Remove’ to take the land parcel from the application. Or click ‘Remove all parcels with warnings’ if you want to remove all land parcels together.

A message will appear to confirm that the land parcel is removed from the application.

Click ‘Close’ to leave the land parcel screen.

Remember to ‘View and print your Parcels under agreement warnings report’ which will list all the land parcels that are already in a live agreement.

Return to the parcels under agreement screen to ‘Remove’ any of the land parcels listed in the report. Read the ‘Parcel under agreement warnings report’ section for more information about creating the report.

Read about what land is eligible in the WMP applicant’s guide.

Add the area covered in the application

Click ‘PA3 – Woodland Management Plan – Area covered’.

You must enter the area (in hectares) of the eligible woodland. The area must be 3 hectares or more.

For more information about eligible woodland read the WMP applicant’s guide or search for capital item PA3 in Countryside Stewardship grant finder.

Declarations and undertakings

You must complete this declaration or you cannot submit your application.

Read all of the declarations and undertakings. Use the scroll bar at the side of the declaration to read it all.

Then click ‘Yes’ to confirm that you accept the declarations and responsibilities, then click ‘Close’.

You should create (generate and download) your application summary before submitting your application to RPA.

View and print documents

Using the list on your screen, you can ‘View and print’ details about your online application before you submit it.

Application summary – shows all the information you’ve added to your application – create it after you’ve filled in your application.

Parcel warnings report – another chance to check that the land parcels you’ve added to your application are not in another application or agreement.

Application summary

This summary shows the information you have entered into your application. It’s important that you use it to check you’ve given the correct information, before you submit your application. Then if needed, you can go back into your application and change it.

You also get another opportunity to create an application summary after you’ve submitted your application to RPA to keep as a record of the application you’ve submitted.

Click ‘View and print your application summary’.

Click ‘Generate’ to create the document.

The first time you generate the document the ‘Download’ button will not be clearly visible. When the document is ready the ‘Download’ button turns green and the button will now always be visible. The date and time that appears next to the Download button tells you when the document was last updated with the information in your application.

After you’ve generated the document, click ‘Download’ to see the document.

If you always click ‘Generate’ before you click ‘Download’, you’ll always see the most up to date information in your application.

You can read the summary on screen by scrolling down the pages or you can print or save it for your records by using the buttons that appear when you place the cursor near the middle point at the bottom of the screen.

Do not send it to us as a paper form – we cannot accept it.

Parcels under agreement warnings report

This warnings report lists any land parcels that need to be removed from your application. This is because they are already included in a live agreement or another application. The report also shows details of the agreement or application that the land parcels are currently included in, and the status of that agreement or application. For more information read ‘Check land parcel warnings’ in the ‘Complete’ section.

If all of the land parcels in your application are available to use, the report will not contain any information.

Click ‘View and print the Parcel under Agreement warnings report’.

To create your report follow the instructions in the Application summary section.

You can read the report on screen by scrolling down the pages or you can print or save it for your records by using the buttons that appear when you place the cursor near the middle point at the bottom of the screen.

You must return to the land parcel screen to remove all the land parcels from your application that appear in the warnings report.

Confirm your information and submit your application

To confirm the information in your application is correct, check it before you submit it online.

Application summary

When you’ve completed your application you need to check that the information in it is correct. To do this, create or update your application summary by following the instructions in the ‘View and print documents’ section. Then if needed, you can go back into your application and change it.

Withdraw your application

If you decide you do not want to submit your application, click ‘Withdraw’. A message appears to check that you do want to withdraw the application.

Click ‘No’ if you do not want to withdraw it.

Click ‘Yes’ if you do want to withdraw it. You’ll see a screen message confirming that you’ve successfully withdraw the application. This application will not be submitted to RPA, and you cannot open it again but you can create a new application while the application buttons are available.

Click ‘Back’ to return to the application screen (where you’ll see the application status is now ‘Withdrawn’ and the application is no longer ‘Active’).

Submit your application

If you have checked your application summary and the information in your application is correct, click ‘Submit’ to apply for the WMP grant.

If your application meets all the requirements for the grant and you have completed the declaration, the screen will confirm that your application has ‘submitted successfully’ to RPA.

Click ‘Print’ if you want to print and keep the confirmation for your records.

Click ‘Back’ to return to the application screen (where you’ll see that the application status has changed to ‘Submitted’ and the application is still ‘Active’). It also shows the date and time your application was submitted.

The deadline for RPA to receive your supporting documents is given in the ‘Supporting documents and evidence’ section.

Application fails to submit

If your application fails to submit, a screen message will tell you this. It will also show the reasons why it did not submit with a red warning box beside it.

Read this message fully by using the scroll bar to the right of the message. You may find it useful to print and save the message. You may be able to do this by clicking the button on the right side of the ‘mouse’ or ‘touchpad’, and choosing the print or save options.

Click ‘Back’ to return to the application screen.

Check and correct all of the sections detailed in the message before you ‘Submit’ your application again.

The information below will help you to identify what you need to do before you submit your application again.

Agreement Name information not complete

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Agreement Name’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Enter a name for your agreement then click ‘Save’ and ‘Close’.

All responses on the Eligibility form must be completed

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Eligibility’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Answer all of the eligibility questions and click ‘Save’ then ‘Close’.

Eligibility form not complete

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Eligibility’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Answer all of the eligibility questions and click ‘Save’ then ‘Close’.

Locations of Woodland (parcel under agreement) form not complete

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Locations of Woodland (parcels under agreement)’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Add the land parcels you want to include in the application and click ‘Close’.

Parcels under agreement does not contain at least one parcel selected that is not already used in another active application

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Locations of Woodland (parcels under agreement)’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Add the land parcels you want to include in the application and click ‘Close’.

PA3 Area covered not complete

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘PA3 – Woodland Management Plan – Area covered’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Enter the total area of woodland in your application, then click ‘Save’ and ‘Close’. The WMP is only available on woodlands that have a total area of 3 hectares or more.

You must select ‘Yes in the Declarations section to be able to submit your application

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Declarations and Undertakings’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Click ‘Yes’ to confirm that you accept the declaration and click ‘Close’.

Declarations and Undertakings not complete

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Declarations and Undertakings’ under ‘Edit your Application’. Click ‘Yes’ to confirm that you accept the declaration and click ‘Close’.

One or more of the parcels in this application are ineligible due to being in another application/agreement. Please review the ‘Parcels under agreement warning report’

You need to ‘Open’ your application from the ‘Countryside Stewardship applications’ screen, and click ‘Locations of Woodland (parcels under agreement)’ under ‘Edit your Application’. ‘Remove’ any land parcels that are listed in your ‘Parcels under agreement warning report’. Read the ‘Add land parcels’ section for more information.

After you’ve applied

After you’ve submitted your application and returned to the application screen, you will see an application ‘summary’ button beside your submitted application details.

Application summary

You may have already created this at the ‘Edit your application’ screen while you were completing your application. You should ‘generate’ and ‘download’ it again after you complete your application to make sure it contains everything you’ve put into your application. As explained earlier in the ‘View and print documents’ section.

You may want to print or save your application summary and keep it for your records.

Supporting documents and evidence

Supporting documents

After you’ve submitted your online application RPA must receive your supporting documents within 30 days of the ‘Submit Date’ in the initial Countryside Stewardship applications screen. If you cannot submit them to reach RPA within the 30 days you must tell RPA within the 30 days why you cannot submit them. If we do not receive either, we’ll need to reject your application. To check what evidence you must keep until you’re asked for it read Countryside Stewardship grant finder.

Supporting documents include:

• application map(s) showing the full area of the woodland covered by the WMP you’re applying for – read Annex 1 for more information.
• WMP Annex – complete the ‘Start here’ and Annex B - Area and grant amount sections

Do not complete Annex A - land summary, as you have already completed this as part of your online application.

To get a copy of the WMP Annex email ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk or call 03000 200 301.

How to submit your supporting documents

You can scan your map(s), and save your completed WMP Annex as a PDF, then email them all to ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk.

The maximum size of emails we can accept is 32MB.

For security reasons, we cannot accept discs, USB pen drives or other external storage media.

Do not include links to cloud storage, for example Dropbox or Google Drive, as we cannot accept documents this way.

You must put your SBI and Application ID number in the email and on all documents. Also use ‘Application – CS – WMP’ and your SBI as the email subject heading.

You can also post the documents to RPA. We recommend you get proof of posting.

Rural Payments Agency (Countryside Stewardship)
PO Box 324
Worksop
S95 1DF

Evidence

Read about any evidence needed for your application in Countryside Stewardship grant finder on GOV.UK.

You must keep the evidence for your WMP grant until you’re asked for it. Do not send it to RPA. (Read the ‘After you’ve applied’ section).

The Forestry Commission will send the approval letter to RPA.

Next steps

If your application meets the eligibility criteria, you will be offered an agreement.

You’ll receive confirmation regardless of whether or not your application has been successful. If it’s successful you’ll receive an agreement offer letter. The Agreement Start Date will be set out in the agreement documents contained with the agreement offer letter.

If you want to accept the agreement offer you must return the signed acceptance declaration to RPA within 20 working days of receiving it. If you do not accept the offer in time, it will be rejected. The person signing the acceptance declaration must have at least ‘View’ business permission level, and ‘Submit’ permission for CS Agreements in the Rural Payments service. You must either accept or decline the offer.

Scheme rules and other guidance

All the guidance and information you need to apply for a CS WMP grant is on GOV.UK.

For guidance and information read the WMP applicant’s guide.

For the scheme rules and information about agreements read the WMP agreement holder’s guide.

Remember, it’s your responsibility to make sure that:

• you meet the scheme rules
• all the eligible land included in your application is correct, to the best of your knowledge

How to contact us

You can contact RPA by email, phone or post.

Rural Payments Agency (CS)
PO Box 324
Worksop
S95 1DF

Email: ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk

Telephone: 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm, except bank holidays
Find out about call charges

For any queries about your online WMP contact RPA. Please quote your Single Business Identifier (SBI) for all enquiries.

Complaints about service

Follow the RPA complaints procedure to raise a complaint. This also includes information on how to request a reconsideration or submit an appeal.

Data protection

For information on how we handle personal data see the Rural Payments Agency personal information charter.

Annex 1 – Application map(s)

You must complete application map(s) for all WMP applications.

You must provide map(s) showing the full area of the woodland you are including in your proposed WMP. The map needs to be clear, readable and meet the standards set out below. Read the ‘Supporting documents’ section for more information about sending the map(s) to RPA.

How to create a map

You can create the map associated with a WMP application yourself, as long as it meets the standards set out below, or you can request one through the Forestry Commission map request service.

Maps you supply should be based on ordnance survey (OS) maps or Geographical Information System (GIS) generated digital maps. Maps should be based on a scale of 1:2500 or 1:5000 or for large schemes 1:10000. If you are using a GIS based map at a non-standard scale, add a scale bar to the map so that this can be used to measure lengths.

You should mark the land parcel references and the SBI clearly on the map.

If you’re sending your supporting documents to us by email, send us your map as a PDF file.

Minimum mapping standards

If you create your own agreement map, or are marking up a map you’ve received from the Forestry Commission map request service:

• the map(s) must show whole land parcels with land parcel references and a clear boundary for the extent of the WMP
• the map(s) must have a number –iInclude this map number and also the total number of maps, for example ‘map 1 of 3’
• write your SBI, consisting of 9 digits, the application year and agreement title (as detailed on the application form), on the top right of the map
• write the name of business or applicant on the right-hand side of the map – this should be the name that is registered with us for the SBI
• write a 6-figure OS grid reference for the centre of the map on the bottom left of the map, if there are no numbered OS grid lines
• use black ink when you write on the Agreement Map
• do not use correction fluid – strike through any mistakes instead