Apply for an SFI agreement
Find out when to apply for an SFI agreement, how to apply and what happens after you’ve applied.
Applies to England
How to apply for an SFI agreement
You’ll apply for an SFI agreement online in the Rural Payments service. After you’ve created a new SFI application, you have 60 days to complete and submit it. This is to make sure that your data is current and accurate. If you have not submitted your application after 60 days, we will withdraw it. If this happens, you will need to start a new application.
You must apply for a separate SFI agreement for common land or an area of shared grazing. Read the information about eligibility of commons and shared grazing for an SFI agreement
If you’re interested in applying for SFI this year on common land, please email RPA at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk with ‘SFI 2023 Commons/Shared Grazing Agreements’ in your subject line. We will help you prepare to apply, including providing access to commons maps.
Read the SFI Handbook for the SFI 2023 offer to help you make your application online.
If you cannot apply online because you do not have access to the internet or a computer, call us on 03000 200 301 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm, except bank holidays) and we’ll help you.
What happens after you’ve applied
After you’ve submitted your application for an SFI agreement, we’ll process it. If it’s eligible, you’ll be offered an SFI agreement in the Rural Payments service. We’ll tell you when your SFI agreement offer is ready for you to check. Once you’ve accepted your agreement, it will normally start the following month.
Last updated 22 April 2024 + show all updates
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Update to section 3.2.2 How to apply for an SFI agreement. You must now complete and submit a new SFI application within 60 days of creating it.
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Removed references to expression of interest (EOI).
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Update to When to apply
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First published.