Jan 2022 • 2 min read

DEFRA has announced new Countryside Stewardship Payment Rates

DEFRA has announced increases in payments rates for many Countryside Stewardship options, which will come into effect from 1st January 2022. These payment rates apply to existing agreements as well as to the forthcoming 2022/23 agreements.

It is worth noting however, that for 2023 agreements some option payments will decrease but this will not apply to any existing agreements where the previously agreed rates will still apply.

The new rates for the options can be seen on this link.

Existing agreements holders are being written to by DEFRA but updated agreements are not being issued.

HLS

HLS payments rates are not being changed. This may be an issue for those considering whether to ask to continue an HLS agreement (with its potential exposure now to many years of EU penalties). Moving to a new Countryside Stewardship agreement (with the new payment rates outlined above) would result in a time period without funding – being the time between the end of the HLS agreement and the start of any new CSS agreement.