Grant or payment · England
Hot and dry weather: temporary support for farmers in 2026
Lets you cut or graze agreement land, make firebreaks and delay sowing during drought without losing SFI, CS or HLS payments.
- From
- Defra / RPA
- How much
- No new money - your existing payments are protected.
- Who can apply
- SFI, CSHT, legacy CS and HLS agreement holders in counties with drought or prolonged dry weather status (all of England as of 15 August 2026).
- Opens
- 15 August 2026
What you’ll need
- Temporary adjustment form for each agreement
- Field records and invoices
- SSSI consent if needed
How to apply
- Fill in the temporary adjustment form and keep it on file
- If an action fails, tell RPA (CS/ES: email [email protected] with scheme, 'TRA' and SBI)
Ends when the EA returns your county to 'normal'; some items have fixed ends (grazing to 14 February 2027). Part of the £65m August 2026 drought package (£50m SFI, £15m Water Management Grant).
Similar schemes
- Capital grants plans 2026 (PA1, PA2, PA4, PA5, PA7) Open all yearDefra / RPAPays for professional plans: implementation plan (PA1), feasibility study (PA2), agroforestry plan (PA4), moorland mapping (PA5) and species management plan (PA7).
- Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) Open all yearDefra / Natural England / Forestry Commission / RPALong-term agreement for complex habitat and nature work; at the moment you can only ask to join (express an interest) for four topics.
- Higher Tier Capital Grants 2026 Open all yearDefra / RPAThree-year capital grants for environmental works (including agroforestry and woodland condition assessment) without needing a full Higher Tier agreement.
- Protection and Infrastructure grants 2026 Open all yearDefra / RPAGrants for woodland access tracks and for protecting crops and trees from beavers.
- Sustainable Farming Incentive 2027 offer Coming soonDefra / RPAThe next SFI offer the government says it will run in 2027.
- Delinked payments (replacing Basic Payment Scheme) AutomaticDefra / RPAYearly payment, based on your old BPS, being phased out by 2027.
Checked against the official pages on 29 October 2026. Sources: 1, 2. Always read the official page before you apply.