Thousands of farmers in England are set to benefit from a £30 million uplift to Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) payments from January 2025. This could mean more money in your pocket for the work you’re already doing to protect the environment and maintain the countryside.
From 1 January 2025, payment rates will rise for 157 different HLS options.
The aim is to better recognise the work farmers do in protecting rare species, restoring habitats and maintaining traditional countryside features. The uplift also aims to bring these payments more closely in line with those offered under Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes.
If you’re already in an HLS agreement, you don’t need to do anything. The increase will be automatic, with payments starting to land from December 2025.
If you’re unsure how this change might affect your current agreement or you want to explore entering an environmental scheme, please give us a call and we would be happy to help you.
For a full list of HLS payment rates from 1 January 2025, see here.
