Applicant's guide: Protection and Infrastructure grants 2026

Applies to England

1. Important dates

Protection and Infrastructure grants are open for applications all year from 5 January 2026. You can also apply for other capital grants. Protection and Infrastructure grants are available to a wide range of farmers and land managers.

2. About Protection and Infrastructure

These grants are standalone capital grants. You can submit an application for each Single Business Identifier (SBI) that you manage. If your application is successful, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will make you an agreement offer. If you accept the offer, you will enter into an agreement with the RPA. Read more information about other capital grants on GOV.UK.

2.1 Grants that are available

You can apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant for:

• capital item FY2: Woodland infrastructure
• capital items, BC3: Crop protection fencing mesh and wire for permanent crops, BC4: Tree guard post and wire and BC5: Expert dam management to manage beaver behaviour

2.1.1 FY2: Woodland infrastructure

This capital item supports improving the management of the woodland through making woodland accessible by road, allowing timber and other forest products to be moved more easily or to support the establishment of new woodland. Under this item RPA will pay 60% of actual costs (including VAT and agent’s fees, where applicable). If you are using your own labour to complete this item, RPA will pay 80% of the 60% value. Read about FY2: Woodland infrastructure on the Capital grant finder for more information about this item. You must show there’s a need for the proposed access to support existing or the establishment of the new woodland in your woodland creation plan or woodland management plan. You can ask a Forestry Commission woodland officer if you’re not sure. You can use FY2 on land outside of the planting area when establishing new woodland, for example, to give you access. However, you must have management control of the land and the land must be registered to your SBI. You must agree the need for this access with your Forestry Commission woodland officer. Land in an Environmental Stewardship agreement is not eligible. You can only apply for FY2 in conjunction with a Woodland Creation Grant agreement if it started before 1 January 2022. You cannot use item FY2 as part of woodland creation under the England Woodland Creation Offer.

2.1.2 Beaver protection and management capital items

You can apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant for BC3, BC4 and BC5 capital items if your land is in one of the following catchment areas and there is evidence of beaver activity:

• East Devon Catchment
• Stour (Kent) Catchment
• Kent North Catchment
• Medway Management Catchment
• Gloucester and the Vale Catchment
• Tamar Catchment
• Taw and North Devon Streams Catchment
• Avon Bristol North and Somerset Streams Catchment
• Somerset and South and West Catchment
• Wye Management Catchment
• Poole Harbour Catchment
• West Dorset Rivers Catchment
• Dove Catchment
• Fowey Catchment
• Kennet Catchment
• Par, St Austell and Caerhays Catchment
• Somerset West Streams Catchment
• Stour (Dorset) Catchment
• Tame Anker Mease Catchment
• Trent Catchment If you have land outside the listed catchment areas with known established beaver populations you can still apply providing you have photographic evidence of beaver activity on your land. RPA will send your application and photographic evidence to Natural England so they can carry out a site visit to confirm the activity. The specific requirements for these items are on the Capital grant finder.

2.1.3 BC3: Crop protection fencing mesh and wire for permanent crops

The Rural payments: land use codes provides a list of permanent crops that are eligible for BC3, including cricket bat willow. The permanent crop must be within 100 metres of a water body or watercourse where beavers are foraging, or there is a strong likelihood of foraging. You may have previously received funding for fencing and posts that need to remain in place and kept in the condition specified for 5 years (known as ex-post requirements). You will need to install the fencing mesh and wire alongside or attached to the existing fencing. You can use the existing fencing posts and strengthen them or improve them with new posts where required. The fence must not be located within 100m of a watercourse. You must not use electric fencing.

2.1.4 BC4: Tree guard post and wire

You can apply for BC4 to protect specific trees that have a commercial, amenity or ornamental value. Ornamental trees are grown for aesthetic value, not to harvest fruit or wood or for commercial gain. The payment rate for BC4 is £74.74 per tree guard. You can contact Natural England for further advice about eligible trees for BC4. The trees must be within 100m of a water body or watercourse where beavers are foraging or there is a strong likelihood of foraging. You must not use this item to protect all trees along a watercourse or within a beaver territory. This could prevent beavers having access to woody material to:

• feed on during the winter months
• build structures such as dams and lodges Read the guidance on how to use wire mesh to protect trees. If you have tree guards in place that RPA has already funded (‘ex-post requirements’), you can install the new tree guards and wire mesh items alongside them. The tree guard must not:
• be attached directly to the tree
• be attached so they rub against, constrict or damage the tree
• block or restrict access to open access land
• be located on historic or archaeological features You must not use electric fencing.

2.1.5 BC5: Expert dam management

You can apply for BC5 for advice from a licenced beaver manager, to help manage beaver dams. To be eligible for expert advice, you must manage the dam to conserve, preserve, or protect the local environment, infrastructure, or public safety. RPA will pay up to 90% of actual cost for this item. Beaver dam management will vary according to the location, beaver behaviour, and size of the dam. You may need a wildlife licence to manage a beaver dam. You should check this before you apply for BC5. Contact your local beaver management group to find a licenced beaver manager by emailing:

• Tamar Beaver Management Group beavers@devonwildlifetrust.org.uk
• East Devon Beaver Management Group beavers@devonwildlifetrust.org.uk
• East Kent Beaver Advisory Group beavers@wildlifegateway.org.uk
• Avon and Somerset Frome Beaver Management Group enquiries@somersetwildlife.org.uk If your local beaver management group is unable to help, you can contact Natural England. You must check that the beaver manager has a wildlife management licence (CL50) and a registration email. Contact Natural England wildlife.scicons@naturalengland.org.uk to check these.

2.2 How RPA assesses your application

2.2.1 FY2: Woodland infrastructure

RPA will check you are eligible, and you’ve completed the form. A Forestry Commission woodland officer will visit your site, carry out consultation or assessment (if required) and agree any changes to your application with you. RPA will assess applications in order of priority for those providing higher environmental benefits. Applications which have higher benefits will be prioritised.

2.2.2 BC3 and BC4 Beaver protection and BC5 Beaver management

The scheme is not competitive, but RPA will check you are eligible, and your application is complete.

2.3 What the grant cannot pay for

You cannot use the grant to pay for:

• any capital works started (or materials purchased) before the agreement start date
• planning application fees or other transactional fees
• agent fees or other advisory fees, except where permitted for BC5 or FY2
• meeting legal requirements, including planning conditions and tenancy agreements
• protection for trees and permanent crops that are more than 100 metres from a water body or watercourse
• fencing to protect temporary crops
• any works undertaken as part of another grant or obligation (read sections 3.3 and 3.4)
• any works you’ve carried out that can only be done by the CL50 licence holder
• woodland infrastructure works considered as maintenance
• in-kind contributions (this means the value of donated work or services) or gifted materials where you have not incurred a cost for them

3. Who can apply and what land is eligible

The Protection and Infrastructure grants are open to land managers who are one of the following:

• an owner occupier
• a tenant
• a landlord
• a licensor if they have management control of the land and activities needed to meet the obligations of the grant for the full duration of the agreement

3.1 Land that is eligible

To be eligible for Protection and Infrastructure grants, land parcels must be entirely within England, and you must have management control of the relevant parcels as set out in section 3.3. The following land parcels may also be eligible:

• those included in a Forestry Commission approved woodland management plan or woodland creation plan
• those in a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) or with a Scheduled Monument, including the boundaries of these sites
• those already included in any existing Countryside Stewardship (CS) agreement or Environmental Stewardship (ES) Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement, if the same action is not being funded twice, there is sufficient space in the parcel and the options, actions and items are compatible with each other For beaver protection items BC3, BC4 and beaver management item BC5, land in any other scheme is eligible.

3.2 Land that is not eligible

The following land is not eligible for Protection and Infrastructure grants:

• developed land and hard standing (including permanent caravan sites and areas used for permanent storage)
• for FY2 only – land that is already included in another scheme or obligation (read section 3.3 and 3.4)

3.3 Management control of land

Having management control means you’re the person actively farming the land and you’re either:

• the owner occupier
• a tenant You must have management control of the land in an agreement for 5 years from the starting date of your agreement, or the countersignature of your landlord (see section 3.3.1). This includes:
• all activities needed to meet the grant payment
• keeping all capital items funded through this scheme in the condition and to the specification set out in your agreement for the 5 years If you do not meet these requirements, you must get the written consent of all other parties who have management control.

3.3.1 Tenants

If you occupy land under a tenancy, you must have:

• a tenancy agreement granting you management control for at least 3 years from the start of the Capital Grants agreement or the countersignature of your landlord (however, see the requirements for a rolling tenancy below)
• the agreement of your landlord before you apply
• a countersignature from your landlord if you do not have management control for 5 years (for the durability period) from the start of your agreement
• control of all the activities over the land to meet the scheme requirements for the chosen capital items It is your responsibility to check when you apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant that you do not breach the terms of your tenancy agreement. If your tenancy is renewed each year on a rolling basis, you must be certain your tenancy will extend to the length of your Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement. You must check this with your landlord before you apply. If your landlord takes over a Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement from you once your tenancy has ended, they must be eligible to do so. For example, they must not be a public body, which is not eligible for a grant.

3.3.2 Landlords

If you are a landlord and can show that you have enough management control over the land and activities, you can apply for an agreement on land that has been let to a tenant. As the Agreement Holder, you must give your tenant a copy of the Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement. We may ask you to provide evidence to show that you have done this. It is your responsibility to make sure that your tenant does not breach the terms of the agreement.

3.3.3 Partnerships

If you are in a business partnership, you can apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant. The person signing the application must have the appropriate permission levels in the Rural Payments service.

3.3.4 Licensors

If you are a licensor, you can apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement. It is your responsibility to make sure that the licensee does not breach the terms of the agreement. You must make sure that the licensee is aware of the requirements of the agreement, as relevant to the licence, and include these in the licence agreement.

3.3.5 Licensees

Licensees are usually not eligible for a Protection and Infrastructure grant as a licence arrangement will not provide sufficient management control of the land to the licensee for the agreement period. If in practice your licence agreement gives you wider land management responsibilities, this may mean you are a tenant and therefore may be eligible for a Protection and Infrastructure grant. You must show that you have sufficient management control of the land and activities to be able to apply. See section 3.3.1 for more information about Protection and Infrastructure grants for tenants.

3.3.6 Land owned by public bodies

Land is not eligible if it is owned or managed by:

• Crown bodies (including all government departments, executive agencies and trading funds)
• non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) See a list of all government departments, agencies and public bodies on GOV.UK. Land owned by some public bodies is eligible for Protection and Infrastructure grants provided the work does not form part of their obligations as a public body. This includes land owned by:
• local authorities
• national park authorities
• public corporations Parish councils and former college farms are not considered to be public bodies and so are eligible to apply for Protection and Infrastructure grants.

3.3.7 Tenants of land owned by public bodies

If you are a tenant of a public body, you will need to check if the land is eligible for a Protection and Infrastructure grant with your landlord. If it is, you must get the public body to countersign your application if you do not have a tenancy agreement for the full term of a Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement. If you do have a tenancy agreement for the full term of a Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement, you are eligible to apply as a tenant with management control of the land. See section 3.3.1. You cannot apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant for any work that is a requirement of your tenancy or any other legally binding obligation.

3.4 Land receiving other funding

You cannot use a Protection and Infrastructure grant to pay for any environmental management if you are already receiving:

• payment from Exchequer funds
• grant aid from any other public body You cannot use a Protection and Infrastructure grant to fund capital works that you:
• are required to carry out under other legally binding obligations
• are currently receiving funding from other sources
• have already received funding for You may be able to apply for a Protection and Infrastructure agreement for FY2 in addition to an existing CS or ES agreement, if you follow the rules set out in section 3.4.1 (Environmental Stewardship) or 3.4.2 (Countryside Stewardship). BC3, BC4 and BC5 are eligible on land in any other scheme. We will carry out checks to make sure that capital works are not funded twice from public money. You must make sure that any work proposed for this grant does not breach the conditions of any other agreement.

3.4.1 Environmental Stewardship

If you have an existing HLS agreement, you cannot apply for Protection and Infrastructure capital item FY2 on the same land parcels that are in your existing agreement.

3.4.2 Countryside Stewardship including CSHT

If you have an existing CSHT (Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreements starting from 2025), CS Higher Tier or Mid Tier and Wildlife Offers (last agreements issued 1 January 2024) agreement, you can enter land parcels in your existing agreement into a Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement for FY2 as long as:

• all capital works in your existing agreements have been fully completed and paid for
• the new capital works do not conflict with your existing agreement

3.4.3 Environmental Land Management schemes

Sustainable Farming Incentive

You can apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant for FY2 on land parcels in an:

• SFI 2023 agreement
• SFI 2024 agreement The actions in your SFI agreement must be compatible with the works in your new agreement.

Landscape Recovery

Customers with a Protection and Infrastructure grant agreement can also apply for a Landscape Recovery agreement, if the same section isn’t being funded twice, there is sufficient space in the parcel, and the items are compatible with each other.

English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS)

You can apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant for FY2 on land parcels covered by an ongoing EWGS Woodland Planning Grant and certain capital grants (for example, WD2: Woodland improvement grant), if both of the following apply:

• this does not result in you being paid twice for the same items or activities
• the Protection and Infrastructure grants do not conflict with any ongoing EWGS requirements You cannot apply for Protection and Infrastructure grants on land parcels covered by a multi-annual EWGS agreement, England Woodland Creation Offer, EWGS Farm Woodland Payment, Farm Woodland Premium Scheme or Farm Woodland Scheme.

3.4.5 Inheritance Tax or Capital Gains Tax exemption

Land that’s conditionally exempt from Inheritance Tax (or the object of a maintenance fund) may not be eligible for capital items if they:

• are not compatible with the exemption
• duplicate an activity within the exemption Read Eligible funding on land conditionally exempt from Inheritance Tax for more information and to see which capital items are eligible or not.

3.4.6 Other schemes

Protection and Infrastructure grants cannot fund works that form part of:

• Countryside Productivity
• Growth Programme
• LEADER
• Water Environment Grant
• Farming in Protected Landscapes
• Woodland Carbon Fund
• HS2 Woodland Fund
• Farming Investment Fund
• England Woodland Creation Offer This is not an exhaustive list.

3.4.7 Common land and shared grazing

Common land is eligible for FY2 grants. BC4 grants are available on commons where trees are within 100 metres of a water body or watercourse. Commoners need to agree and name one person to sign the application. This person will be responsible for maintaining the relevant agreement, if accepted, on behalf of all the commoners. If your application is on common land, you must read the Common land and shared grazing supplement, which sets out the requirements, and complete the additional Common land and shared grazing form. If you are thinking about applying for an agreement, the work may need consent from the Planning Inspectorate. Consent is required where the work would prevent or impede access or for works to the surface of the land, for example if you:

• put up new fences to protect new trees, woodland planting or to encourage natural regeneration
• build new solid surfaced roads, paths, or car parks to enable access to manage the new or existing woodland If you want to carry out these works, you must complete a notice of exemption and send it to the Planning Inspectorate. If consent is needed it applies equally to new works or where the work is an extension to work with an existing consent. To be given consent, the work you propose will need to comply with the Common land consents policy. Consent is not always required. Read Carrying out works on common land to find out more information on the type of work that requires consent, where exemptions might apply and the application process.

4. How to apply for Protection and Infrastructure grants

Find out how to apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant and the evidence and consents you’ll need.

4.1 Check you and your land are registered

To apply for a Protection and Infrastructure grant you need to register or be registered on the Rural Payments service. Use the guidance on registering and updating your details at Rural Payments service to help you. All land parcels listed on your application must be registered in the Rural Payments service and have a parcel reference number (in the format AA1234 5678). Check the Rural Payments service to find out if your land parcels are registered and up to date. If your land parcels are not registered, you must submit a rural land change request to register the land.

4.1.1 Authorise an agent

You can authorise an agent to fill in and submit your application for you. For an agent to act for you, you must give them the appropriate permission levels in the Rural Payments service. This applies even if you have previously authorised the agent using the paper agent authorisation form. Read Rural Payments service: give or update permissions for more information on the different levels of permission. You should also read the information in the Permission levels screen in the Rural Payments service. This lists what is permitted at each level. You are responsible for ensuring that permissions assigned on the Rural Payments service are made correctly and that all contact details are correct.

4.2 Ways to apply

Submit your application to the RPA by email or post using the Protection and Infrastructure grant application form. Use the how to complete your Protection and Infrastructure grant application by email or post guidance to help you.

4.3 Prepare a map to support your application

You must complete your map to a required standard. See how to complete your Protection and Infrastructure Grant application by email or post for more information. Your FY2 application map must also clearly show the proposed location of the infrastructure (road).

4.4 Business viability test

RPA will check all applications against an insolvency register. If your application is not financially viable, we may not offer you an agreement. If the value of your application is more than £50,000 in total, you must submit a statement from a registered accountant (for example, a chartered accountant or certified accountant). This is to confirm that the business or SBI has the resources from trading profits, reserves or loans to carry out the work in the proposed agreement schedule. The accountant will need to provide a letter on headed paper which confirms:

• they are a registered chartered accountant
• they act as the accountant for the applicant or have been contracted to act on behalf of the applicant
• you as the applicant have sufficient finances to complete the capital works in your application and how these funds will be sourced (for example, savings or loan)
• their understanding of the total value of the capital works in the application If the value of your application is more than £500,000 of capital items, RPA will also review 3 years of your relevant business accounts or other evidence. This is to confirm that you have the administrative, financial and operational capacity to meet the agreement requirements.

4.5 Check if you need consent to carry out capital works

You must check each capital item you are applying for to see if any consents are needed. You will not be paid for any work carried out without all the necessary consents and permissions being in place before you begin any work. You are responsible for arranging all relevant consents, permissions, exemptions and written advice needed for your application. In some cases, you will not be offered an agreement if these are not in place.

4.5.1 Consent for FY2: Woodland infrastructure

You’ll need consent from your local authority or internal drainage board (within an internal drainage district) to do work if your proposed road construction crosses a watercourse or uses culverts. You may also need consent from the relevant highways authority if you need access to the public highway for construction. You must send a copy of the local planning authority’s advice and any permits with your application. You must check with the local authority if there are permitted rights needed for any woodland infrastructure. If full planning consent is needed your local planning authority will be responsible for a decision on whether consent is needed under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations. Read Environmental Impact Assessments for woodland: overview for more information.