Guidance

Agreement holders’ information: Environmental Stewardship

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

Applies to England

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

Cross compliance ends at midnight on 31 December 2023. You must follow the modified terms and conditions that come 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:

OELS handbook:

HLS handbook

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

ELS handbook:

OELS handbook:

HLS handbook:

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

ELS handbook:

OELS handbook:

HLS handbook:

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

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 7 December 2023 + show all updates
  1. 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.

  2. RPA contact address updated.

  3. 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.

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

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

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

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

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

  9. Mapping updates section added.

  10. Page updates for new Countryside Stewardship scheme

  11. notice about ELS schemes closing to new applicants

  12. update for transition to GOV.UK

  13. Added note about closure for new 2013 applications.

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

  15. First published.