Farmers, land managers and foresters across England continue to take advantage of the opportunities available through Capital Grants 2026.
This year, £225 million is available to support practical environmental improvements on farms and across the countryside.
The budget is 50% larger than in 2025, reflecting growing demand for investment in nature, water quality, biodiversity and sustainable land management.
Since the window to apply opened, there has been strong interest from across the sector, with projects coming forward that will deliver benefits for both the environment and the long-term resilience of farming.
To keep applicants informed, we committed to publishing updates as funding is allocated, with milestones at 25%, 50% and 75% of the available budget.
We can now confirm that 50% of the 2026 Capital Grants budget has been allocated.
Reaching this milestone highlights the continued demand for the scheme and the commitment of farmers, land managers and foresters to delivering environmental improvements across England.
If you plan to apply, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. With a significant proportion of the available budget now allocated, funding is becoming more limited.
If you’re interested in learning more and applying:
- read the Capital Grants 2026 guidance on GOV.UK to explore the full range of available items and eligibility requirements. Section 5.1.3 of the guidance sets out the steps to apply
- watch our Capital Grants webinar for practical advice on making an application and getting the most from the scheme. Colleagues from Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) joined us
- read our previous blog posts on the Capital Grants offer
- use the Capital Grant Finder to identify the items that could work best for your farm or landholding
We will blog again when we hit the 75% milestone.
This budget update relates solely to the Capital Grants 2026 offer. The capital grants available through the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) offer are funded from a separate budget.
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6 comments
Comment by Harry posted on
Hello. Can you confirm that this blog is updated in real time and after ordinary weekday working hours? I have submitted a Capital Grant application with the last blog post being this one (at 50% allocated), I haven't seen an update and wanted to rule out the possibility that it is because we are after hours and in to a weekend. Many thanks.
Comment by Sarah Stewart posted on
Hi Harry,
Yes, I can confirm these budget posts are published manually rather than automatically, and are published in as close to real time as possible.
Best wishes,
Sarah
Comment by anonymous posted on
In the handbook its states 'If you want to make changes to an application you’ve already submitted, you must first delete or withdraw the previous application. If you don’t do this, RPA can only accept the first submitted application'. A request to with draw an application was made 30/07/26 but has not been actioned - can these requests not be prioritised by the RPA? how quickly will this be carried out?
Comment by The Team posted on
Hello,
Thank you for getting in touch.
We’re sorry to hear that your withdrawal has not yet been actioned. To look into this further, please contact the RPA Helpline. The team will be able to review your application in more detail, investigate the status of your withdrawal request, and advise you on the next steps.
RPA Helpline: 03000 200 301
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Rosemary Collingborn posted on
it just shows that so many farmers are having to use agents to do grants. Farmers like us who don't use agents and are very busy working on dairy farm 24/7, are being massively disadvantaged.
Defra should take account of this and make allowances for the minority of farmers who don't want, or can't pay for, agents.
You are enriching agents - not farmers
Comment by The Team posted on
Hello Rosemary,
Thank you for getting in touch and for sharing your views.
We've shared your feedback with the relevant policy and service teams to take into account as future refinements and offers are developed.
Best wishes,
The Team