Guidance

Agreement holders’ information: Environmental Stewardship

Guidance on how to meet the requirements for an Environmental Stewardship agreement.

• From: Rural Payments Agency, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Natural England
• Published: 11 September 2012
• Last updated: 29 October 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Terms and conditions, and rules for existing agreement holders, from 29 October 2024

Legal protections have been put in place to protect hedgerows from damage and to protect the habitats and wildlife within them. These legal protections are provided by the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 which came into force on 23 May 2024.

Read how the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 affect your agreement for the detailed changes made to the 2nd edition (2008), 3rd edition (2010) and 4th edition (2013), Entry Level, Organic Entry Level, Uplands Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship handbooks.

Terms and conditions, and rules for existing agreement holders, from 1 January 2024

Cross compliance ended at midnight on 31 December 2023. You must follow the modified terms and conditions that came into effect on 1 January 2024.

Read the Environmental Stewardship: terms and conditions, and rules for existing agreement holders, from 1 January 2024 for the detailed changes made to the 2nd edition (2008), 3rd edition (2010) and 4th edition (2013), Entry Level, Organic Entry Level, Uplands Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship handbooks.

Modified terms and conditions effective from 1 January 2023

You must follow the modified terms and conditions that come into effect on 1 January 2023.

Read the 2022 addendum for the detailed changes made to the 2nd edition (2008), 3rd edition (2010) and 4th edition (2013), Entry Level, Organic Entry Level, Uplands Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship handbooks.

About Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Stewardship (ES) is a land management scheme. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) manages existing agreements until they reach their agreed end date.

There are 3 levels to the scheme:

• Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) – includes Uplands ELS: simple and effective land management agreements with priority options
• Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) – includes Uplands OELS: organic and conventional mixed farming agreements
• Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) - more complex types of management and agreements tailored to local circumstances.

Use the correct handbook for your agreement

The terms and conditions of your existing agreements are determined by the relevant scheme handbook.

Handbook 1: agreement start dates from 1 February 2006 to 30 September 2008

ELS handbook:

• 1st edition: February 2005 (PB10355)
• Addendum: new options for ES May 2006

OELS handbook:

• 1st edition: February 2005 (PB10381)
• Addendum: new options for ES May 2006

HLS handbook

• 1st edition: February 2005 (PB10382)
• Addendum: new options for ES May 2006

Handbook 2: agreement start dates from 1 October 2008 to 31 December 2009

ELS handbook:

• 2nd edition: October 2008 (NE106)
• Addendum: May 2009

OELS handbook:

• 2nd edition: October 2008 (NE107)
• Addendum: May 2009

HLS handbook:

• 2nd edition: October 2008 (NE108)
• options, capital items and management conditions: 2nd edition October 2008
• payments booklet: 2nd edition October 2008

Handbook 3: agreement start dates from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012

ELS handbook:

• 3rd edition: February 2010 and official list of changes: November 2010 (NE226)

• ES - supplement for 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions (NE358)

OELS handbook:

• 3rd edition: February 2010 and official list of changes: November 2010 (NE228)
• ES - supplement for 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions (NE360)

HLS handbook:

• 3rd edition: February 2010 and official list of changes: November 2010 (NE227)
• ES - supplement for 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions (NE359)

Handbook 4: agreement start dates from 1 January 2013 to 1 December 2014

• ELS: 4th edition January 2013 - includes uplands ELS (NE349)
• OELS: 4th edition January 2013 - includes uplands OELS (NE351)
• HLS: 4th edition January 2013 (NE350)

Forms and guidance

Use the forms and guidance to help you manage your ES agreement.

Contact

Email :ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk

Telephone: 03000 200 301

Rural Payments Agency (ES)
PO Box 390
Worksop
S80 9HD

Published 11 September 2012

Last updated 29 October 2024 + show all updates

1. 29 October 2024

   Addendum detailing how hedgerow regulations may impact agreements.

2. 7 December 2023

   Added information about, and a link about the ES: terms and conditions, and rules for existing agreement holders from 1 January 2024 to this page.

3. 28 July 2023

   RPA contact address updated.

4. 31 October 2022

   Addendum to the terms and conditions for 2nd edition (2008), 3rd edition (2010) and 4th edition (2013), Entry Level, Organic Entry Level, Uplands Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship agreement holders added as a PDF attachment.

5. 1 July 2019

   Office details updated with new single point of contact telephone number and email address

6. 13 March 2019

   Removal of information about hot and dry weather conditions, payment information,and changes to digital maps. Updates to address details.

7. 1 August 2018

   Link to guidance for those finding it difficult to meet scheme requirements due to hot and dry weather conditions.

8. 5 July 2018

   Link to guidance on how changes to digital maps in Rural Payments service may affect agreements added.

9. 19 September 2017

   Added section on the way payment split is changing for multi year grants.

10. 14 August 2017

    Mapping updates section added.

11. 23 March 2015

    Page updates for new Countryside Stewardship scheme

12. 17 September 2014

    notice about ELS schemes closing to new applicants

13. 11 September 2014

    update for transition to GOV.UK

14. 3 October 2013

    Added note about closure for new 2013 applications.

15. 3 April 2013

    Updated links to 4th edition handbooks. Removed case study.

16. 11 September 2012

    First published.