Capital Grants help farmers, land managers and rural businesses carry out practical improvements that benefit the environment across England.
The 2026 Capital Grants offer is scheduled to open in late July. Funding will be available for a wide range of projects, from planting trees and hedgerows to improving water quality.
Supporting evidence has always been an important and necessary part of the application process.
We're encouraging applicants to gather and submit the required evidence as early as possible.
You can apply online for Capital Grants through the Rural Payments service. To do this, you must be registered on the service. If you are not yet registered, or need to update your details, please refer to the guidance on registering and updating your details.
All supporting information should be provided to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) within 10 days of the application form being submitted.
Having everything in place from the start will help applications be assessed efficiently.
Last year, many applications were submitted without all the necessary evidence. This resulted in requests for additional information, which slowed the assessment process and delayed decisions. In some cases, applications could not be taken forward because the required evidence was not received before the deadline.
We're expecting strong interest in Capital Grants again in 2026, with demand likely to exceed the funding available. Submitting a complete application with all the required evidence will help us process applications more efficiently and give you the best chance of receiving a timely decision.
To help you prepare, we've highlighted some of the most common evidence requirements below, along with a few checks you can carry out now.
Full details of the evidence needed for each item will be available in the Capital Grants Applicant Guide on GOV.UK.
Claims for completed capital works
If you've completed capital works under a Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier or Capital Grant agreement, now is a good time to make sure you've submitted any outstanding claims.
You'll also need to confirm through the customer portal if this is your final claim for those works.
Doing this helps release the land parcel from your existing agreement, meaning it can be included in a new Capital Grant application if needed.
Check your details are up to date
Before applying, it's worth checking that you and your business are correctly registered with the RPA.
If you need to register or update your information, you can do this through GOV.UK.
Once you're registered, take a moment to review your business details and make sure they're still accurate.
You should also check that your land parcels are correctly registered and mapped in the Rural Payments Service.
Check your maps
Accurate mapping can help avoid delays later in the process, so it's a good idea to review your land maps and make any necessary updates before you apply.
Evidence required: Maps should clearly show where capital works will take place, identify any historic features being restored, or outline the area covered by a woodland condition assessment.
Check you have sufficient funds in place
Capital Grants are paid once work has been completed and claimed for. This means you'll need to cover the costs upfront before receiving grant funding.
For higher-value applications, we'll need to understand how the work will be funded.
If your application is worth more than £50,000, we'll ask for evidence that your business has access to sufficient funds to complete the proposed works.
It can be helpful to estimate the value of your application in advance, so you know whether this requirement applies. You can use the Capital Grant finder on GOV.UK to check payment rates for individual items.
Evidence required: You'll need to provide a letter on headed paper from a qualified accountant. The accountant must be chartered, certified, or registered with a recognised professional body such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
The letter should confirm that your business, or Single Business Identifier (SBI), has sufficient funds available through profits, reserves, loans or other financing arrangements to carry out the work included in your application.
Catchment Sensitive Farming support
Since the 2025 Capital Grant offer closed, Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) advisers have been working closely with farmers and land managers to help them prepare for the 2026 round.
A large number of support visits have already taken place, helping applicants access the advice needed for the 24 items that require CSF support.
Demand for CSF advice has been particularly high, and advisers are currently focusing on requests that have already been received to help applicants prepare for the upcoming round.
While area teams aren't currently able to prioritise new advisory visit requests for this round, they will be able to offer further visits later in the year as capacity becomes available. They'll be in touch when they are able to help.
In the meantime, you can register for one of the free CSF events taking place across the country.
Evidence required: For the 24 items listed below, you'll need to have received CSF support before the Capital Grant offer opens in July. If you've received CSF support for these items within the last two years, you can use that support when applying.
AQ2: Low ammonia emission flooring for livestock buildings
RP4: Livestock and machinery hardcore tracks
RP13: Yard – underground drainage pipework
RP17: Storage tanks underground
RP19: First flush rainwater diverters and downpipe filters
RP20: Relocation of sheep dips and pens
RP21: Relocation of sheep pens only
RP22: Sheep dip drainage aprons and sumps
RP23: Installation of livestock drinking troughs (in draining pens for freshly dipped sheep)
RP24: Lined biobed plus pesticide loading and washdown area
RP25: Lined biobed with existing washdown area
RP27: Sprayer or applicator load and washdown area
RP29: Self-supporting covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores
RP30: Floating covers for slurry and anaerobic digestate stores and lagoons
RP31: Equipment to disrupt tramlines in arable areas
TE5: Supplement for use of individual tree-shelters
Tenant farmers
If you're a tenant farmer, you'll need to check whether you need your landlord's agreement before applying.
You'll need a landlord's countersignature if your tenancy agreement does not extend for at least five years from the start of your Capital Grant agreement.
Evidence required: If your tenancy does not cover at least five years from the date of application, you'll need to submit a Land Ownership and Control Form.
Other evidence you may need
Some capital items require additional evidence alongside your application.
For example, works affecting historic or archaeological features may require advice or consent from Historic England.
Checking your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER) can help you identify any features that may need additional permissions or specialist advice before you apply.
If your application includes land within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), you'll need to obtain consent from Natural England before your Capital Grant agreement can start. If you're offered an agreement, we'll let you know if this applies. An agreement can't start until the required SSSI consent has been received.
You can also check the evidence requirements for individual items by searching for the item code in the Capital Grant finder.
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