Complete your application
Use this section to help you complete your application.
Before you start your application you must read the scheme manual, search for Capital Grants on GOV.UK.
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 Countryside Stewardship application screens to apply online for Capital Grants. There’s a ‘Help’ link on the screens that will tell you step-by-step what to do on each screen. Click the Help link, then scroll down to the long list of blue links at the end of the Help window. Click the relevant Capital Grants link. Before you start your application you must read the scheme manual, search for Capital Grants on GOV.UK. You must also create a map to support your application. Read Annex 1. ‘Supporting documents and evidence’
On the Countryside Stewardship applications screen, click the green button to ‘Apply for CS Capital Grants’.
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.
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.
You now need to add the land parcels you want to use for this application. Click ‘Edit your Application’ in the list. Then click ‘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 the 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 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 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’:
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If the land parcel is not in another application a tick will show next to the relevant land parcel details.
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If any land parcel is already in another type of application, a green ‘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.
IMPORTANT: 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.
You can now either continue to the next stage of your application or delete your application by using the buttons under ‘Make/Manage your application’.
Click ‘Delete’ – if you do not want to go ahead with your application at this point. You need to confirm that you want to delete the application. If you answer ‘Yes’, you’ll see a message confirming that you’ve deleted your application successfully. On the application screen, the status will be ‘Closed’.
If you answer ‘No’, the status of your application will not change and you can continue your application.
(If you delete your application you can create a new one, but it must contain land parcels that are not already in use in another application or live agreement.)
Click ‘Continue’ – if you want to move on to the next stage of your application.
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Either a ‘successful’ message will appear. Click ‘Back’ to continue your application.
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Or a ‘failed’ message will appear.
This means your application cannot move to the next stage as there is an issue with the land parcels selected. You may not have selected any land parcels or there may be issues with ones you have selected. This may also happen if you did not check for warnings earlier in your application.
It is important that you read the onscreen message as it will tell you why your application has failed to progress.
Scroll down the screen to click ‘Back’.
Open the application again, and remove any land parcels with warnings and any listed in your ‘Parcels under agreement warnings report’, or in this case add some land parcels as none have been added yet.
After you’ve successfully added the land parcels to your application, ‘Open’ your application again on the Countryside Stewardship applications screen.
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.
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.
You can read about options in the scheme manual on GOV.UK, search for Capital Grants. You’ll find a description and brief requirements for each capital item by searching for Countryside Stewardship grants on GOV.UK.
You can apply for:
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items on a boundary around or within a land parcel in your application
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a maximum of £20,000 for this Boundaries, trees and orchards option in one application
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a ‘supplement’ item if you have applied for the main item it relates to on the same boundary:
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BN8 – can only be used on BN5 and BN6
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BN10 – can only be used with BN5
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BN13 – can only be used with BN12
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BN14 – can only be used with BN12
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Both BN13 and BN14 can be used with BN12
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Click ‘Capital - Boundaries, Trees and Orchards’.
This screen lists all the capital items you can include under this option in your application.
To apply for an item click Open for the item code you want.
This will open a new screen showing all of the land parcels in your application.
Add the total length or number of units next to each land parcel you want to apply for.
For example, to add 10m of stone faced bank repair to a land parcel, first ‘Open’ BN1 at the previous screen, then enter the length in this screen for the relevant land parcel.
Applied for (metres or units/trees) – the length in metres, number of units or trees you enter should be a whole number. If you enter a number with decimal places, this will be automatically rounded up or down to the nearest whole number. For example, if you enter 10.5m of stone-faced bank repair, this would round to 11m in your application, or 10.4m would round to 10m in your application.
Then click Save and then Back to return to the Items menu. Repeat this for all of the items you want to add to your application. Click Close to return to the application menu.
IMPORTANT: For some water quality items your land must be in a high priority water quality area, and for these items you must have approval from your Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer.
You can apply for:
- items to improve water quality
- a maximum of £20,000 for this ‘Water quality’ option in one application
- a ‘supplement’ item if you have applied for the main item it relates to:
- FG4 – can only be used with FG1, FG2 and FG3.
Click ‘Capital – Water capital options’
This screen lists all the capital items you can include under this option in your application.
It shows the code and description for each item, as well as the length, area, volume or number of the items you’re applying for after you enter the details at the next screen.
To apply for an item click Open for the item code you want.
This will open a new screen showing all of the land parcels in your application.
Add the length, volume or area (in metres, cubic metres or hectares) or the number of units (for example, biofilters, sheep pens) for the item in each land parcel.
For example, to add 10m of fencing to a land parcel, first ‘Open’ FG1 at the previous screen, then enter the length in this screen for the relevant land parcel.
NOTE: Applied for (metres, cubic metres or units) – the length in metres, volume in cubic metres or the number of units you enter should be a whole number. If you enter a number with decimal places, this will be automatically rounded up or down to the nearest whole number. For example, if you enter 10.5m of fencing, this would round to 11m in your application, or 10.4m would round to 10m in your application. Applied for (hectares) – the area in hectares does not round up or down.
Click Save and then Back to return to the Items menu. Repeat this for all of the items you want to add to your application. Click Close to return to the application menu.
You can apply for:
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items on your land in this application that aim to improve air quality
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a maximum of £20,000 for this ‘Air quality’ option in one application
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a ‘supplement’ item if you have applied for the main item it relates to:
- TE5 – can only be used with TE4.
Click ‘Capital – Air quality options’
This screen lists all the capital items you can include under this option in your application.
It shows the code and description for each item, as well as the area or number of the items you’re applying for after you enter the details at the next screen.
To apply for an item click Open for the item code you want.
This will open a new screen showing all of the land parcels in your application.
Add the number of units or trees, or for low emission flooring add the area (in hectares) for the item in each land parcel.
For example, to add an area of 150m2 of low emission flooring to a land parcel, first ‘Open’ AQ2 at the previous screen, then enter the area as 0.015 hectares in this screen for the relevant land parcel.
NOTE: Applied for (units or trees) – the number of units or trees for the item should be a whole number. If you enter a number with decimal places, this will be automatically rounded up or down to the nearest whole number. Applied for (hectares) – the area in hectares does not round up or down.
Click Save and then Back to return to the Items menu. Repeat this for all of the items you want to add to your application. Click Close to return to the application menu.
You must answer all the eligibility questions.
Click ‘Scheme 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 ‘Who Can Apply’ in the scheme manual. Search for ‘Capital Grants’ on GOV.UK.
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.
Click ‘Update parcels under agreement’ to see all of the land parcels you have added to the application.
This is an opportunity to check which land parcels you’ve included in the application and change them if needed.
Use the ‘Remove’ or ‘Add’ buttons as explained in the earlier ‘Add land parcels to your application’ section.
If you add different land parcels, remember to click ‘Check Parcels’ for warnings against your land parcels in another application.
Also remember to View and print your land parcel warnings report again to check for land parcels already in an agreement.
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.
The 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.
Using the list on your screen, you can ‘View and Print’ details about your online application before you submit it:
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application summary – shows all the information you’ve added to your application – create it after you’ve filled in your application
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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.)
IMPORTANT: Remember to complete your supporting map(s) – read Annex 1
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/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.