Natural England - How to get started in Entry Level Stewardship

How to get started in Entry Level Stewardship

Step 1: register your land
Step 2: consider your options
Step 3: how to apply

Step 1: register your land

Your land will need to be registered before you apply for an Entry Level Stewardship Scheme.

Contact the Rural Payments Agency to obtain a vendor number – which is a unique trader registration number – allocated by the RPA.

If you have previously claimed payments under the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), Single Payment Scheme (SPS) or an Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) scheme, you will have already been issued with a vendor number.

Customer Service Centre

Rural Payments Agency
PO Box 1058
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE99 4YQ
E-mail: customer.service.centre@rpa.gsi.gov.uk
Phone: 0845 6037777
Or visit their website.

Tenant farmer

If you are a tenant farmer you will need to have management control over the land you farm for 5 years for Entry Level or for 10 years for Higher Level. If you are in doubt, contact your Natural England office.

Step 2: consider your options

To get the best environmental outcome and funding for your land:

You can find out what our priority areas are.
Call our central number 0300 060 0011 and you will be put through to a local adviser.
You can arrange a farm visit or attend a farm event - these are both free of charge.

Step 3: how to apply

You can choose to apply for ELS online or by post:

Online

Applying online is quick and easy and has many advantages:

it is easier to make alterations to your application before it is submitted;
there is a calculator to convert your mapping measurements into ELS points;
it saves considerable time when submitting applications.

To apply online:

visit our web site page ELS online,
e-mail:els.online@naturalengland.org.uk or
phone: 0300 060 1638 or 0300 060 3934

By post

To receive an application pack call 0300 060 0011 to be put through to your local Natural England office.

You will need to provide the following information:

your name and correspondence address;
your vendor number; and
the County Parish Holding (CPH) number/s covering the eligible RLR land parcels you are entering into ELS/OELS.
We will then send you a pre-filled application pack.