Two application windows
There are two application windows this year for SFI.
The second application window is expected to open on 22 September 2026 for all farmers and land managers that are eligible.
Like Window 1, Defra will publish updates on how much of the second window budget has been allocated on Defra’s Farming Blog. Defra intends to do this once 25%, 50% and 75% of the funding is allocated. Defra are encouraging eligible farmers to apply as early as possible.
There is still time to prepare for SFI26, and below is our updated guide to help you do this.
Farmers with soon-to-expire SFI23, CSMT, CSHT or HLS agreements and access to SFI26 Window 2
Defra have explained that, unlike previous iterations of the scheme, a new functionality in the SFI26 application service has been developed to allow farmers with soon-to-expire ELM agreements to apply early for SFI26, before their existing agreements end.
This affects farmers with agreements expiring by the end of February 2027.
In the past, those farmers would have been unable to access the full SFI offer until their agreements had expired, forcing them to apply late to Window 2, by which point the window may have closed.
Defra have confirmed that the functionality will be available for Window 2 of SFI26 from September 2026 and applies to farmers with agreements expiring by the end of February 2027 under the following schemes:
- SFI23
- CSMT (Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier)
- Legacy CSHT (CS Higher Tier)
- Environmental Stewardship Higher Level Stewardship (HLS)
The new functionality will allow SFI26 agreements to start after the relevant soon-to-expire agreement has ended.
Farmers with agreements expiring at the end of March 2027 or later may be able to apply for a future SFI offer.
We’ll announce the information on the SFI27 offer in due course.
Read: SFI26 Window 2: Apply before your current agri-environment agreement ends
Further information on this can be found here: GOV.UK | SFI26: scheme rules and guidance
Missed Window 1 or issues with applying for Window 1?
If you were eligible for Window 1 and did not apply, you can still apply for Window 2.
In terms of those that started but not submitted applications, the RPA has separated them into two distinct groups.
Some applicants will be able to complete and submit them when Window 2 opens as their application data will not be deleted (recognising the demands on farmers’ time). The RPA will contact those in this group. This approach only applies for Window 1.
However, others will have to start a new application when Window 2 opens – this applies when the RPA has had to withdraw the original application because:
- the farmer requested a mapping update after starting their Window 1 SNS application, meaning a new application is needed to reflect the updated land details; or
- the farmer has an existing ELM (Environmental Land Management) revenue agreement that expires on or before 28 February 2027, meaning a new application is required for the “apply early” functionality to work.
Again, the RPA will contact these affected farmers and explain what they need to do and why a new application is required.
What you can do to prepare
Here are the key steps to think about now:
1. Check your digital maps show the correct land details
Whether you believe your RPA mapping is up to date or you have not looked at them since the last BPS claim or agreement application, you need to check them carefully. What’s also key is to ensure you have management control for SFI26, considering the three year duration of the scheme. This is set out in Section 6 of the SFI26 Scheme Guidance.
This is the most important check to do given that SFI is a land based scheme and the way the Rural Payments service uses the land details it holds to determine whether you can access particular SFI actions, as those SFI actions have land eligibility requirements.
Example: If you want to put an arable based SFI action on a field, but the RPA mapping shows the field is showing as permanent pastures, the service is not going to allow you to apply for that SFI action.
Therefore, both what is on the ground as well as recorded on the RPA service needs to align. This includes both the land cover – the board land types (for example, arable land, permanent grassland, permanent crops, or relevant non-agricultural land cover) and the land use (for example, wheat are compatible with one another).
If the land covers and land uses are not compatible, or their areas do not match, this will prevent you from selecting the affected land parcel in your SFI26 application. Also, eligible land type, which is the actual type of land you have that may be grassland, needs to be suitable for the SFI actions that you plan to use. Section 5 of the SFI26 Scheme Guidance provides more information on land cover, land use and land type.
You need to ensure that your RPA mapping records show you have:
- At least 3ha of agricultural land. Needed to be able to start an application.
- All the land parcels you want to include in your SFI26 application are associated with the SBI (single business identifier) wishing to apply.
- The correct total area (in hectares) for each land parcel is shown, particularly looking at boundary or ineligible land use activity.
- The correct land covers for each parcel.
You do not need to check or update your RPA mapped hedge layer as this is not being used for SFI.
This is important to check now because you cannot add land or make certain land changes to land in an SFI application once it has been created and if it is being worked on.
If you have any existing schemes on your land, ensure that any changes made for SFI26 purposes are considered across those other schemes and, where necessary, inform the RPA of changes that affect those other schemes.
For more information read the RPA guidance on how to check your digital maps. If you find you need to update your digital maps, ask the RPA to do this as soon as possible so you are not waiting for changes to be carried out while the application windows are open. Read: GOV.UK | How to update your digital maps online. For a series of YouTube videos that set out how to update your RPA maps, visit: YouTube | Rural Payments Agency
Finally, there is also information set out in Sections 5, 6 and 10 of the SFI26 Scheme Guidance covering consents and checks you may need to do in order to apply for certain SFI actions on land which may have certain designations. For historical features, you may need to request an SFI HEFER (Historic Environment Farm Environment Record), even if you already have one for an earlier SFI agreement, or check if there are SSSIs (sites of special scientific interest), trees or wildlife habitats present.
2. Are your contact details up to date?
Check your registered contact details are up to date in the Rural Payments service as the RPA use these details, including your business email address, to contact you about your SFI26 application and agreement offer.
To apply in window 2, your farm business needs to be registered with the RPA (so it has an SBI) at the point you want to start an application.
3. Check your permissions
You need to have the correct permission to apply for an SFI26 agreement for your business (SBI) and avoid any issues being able to access the submit button.
To check this:
- Sign into the Rural Payments service
- Navigate to ‘Business Overview’
- Select ‘Give people permission to act for this business’
- To make an application you need to have one of the following permissions:
- ‘Business Details: Full’
- ‘BPS: Submit’
- ‘CS Applications: Submit’.
If you have someone helping you with an application and applying on your behalf, you need to check that they’re registered with the RPA in the Rural Payments service, and that you have given them the correct permissions.
4. Read the SFI26 guidance, view the how to apply video and plan your application
Defra has published the final scheme information for SFI26 which includes the recent change in early August to take account of the ‘starting an application early’ functionality for farmers with ELM revenue agreements ending soon (Section 3.8).
You can easily identify the SFI26 guidance changes in the change log by navigating to the base of the page and selecting ‘Show all updates’ beside the ‘Last updated’ timestamp by visiting: GOV.UK | Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26): scheme information
It is really important before applying for SFI26 to read the guidance carefully, especially if you are familiar with the previous SFI offers. If you have an SFI23 or 24 agreement it is important to continue to follow the respective scheme information for those agreements. As set below, this guidance forms part of the contract you have with Defra for SFI26.
The guidance includes sections listed below, which are explained further in our scheme explainer: SFI – scheme guidance and information
- Terms and conditions
- Scheme rules
- SFI26 action information and mandatory requirements
- Guidance on applying
You can find the information published above via: GOV.UK | Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26): scheme information
The Find Funding tool is really helpful to help you drill down the 71 actions to those interested in and have a think first before heading online to pull together application.
When looking at the SFI actions, take particular notice of the compatibility of the SFI actions and how they interact with other SFI/CS/ES agreements that you may have, especially rotational action requirements. Also consider how they will work beyond Year 1 of an agreement and how SFI actions work when you may have an agreement start date that does not fit in with your farming/cropping year.
There are a number of limited area SFI actions that can only be done on up to 25% of your farm. Access the calculator available to help you navigate this scheme feature by visiting: GOV.UK | SFI26 Limited area actions calculator
The RPA has produced a ‘how to apply’ video which can be watched via: YouTube | SFI26 - How to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026
Watching this video before you apply can remind you and give you a feel of the end-to-end application process and approach before you start. It will also allow you to prepare what answers and entries you want to include when you go online and after you have created your application. Having what you want to do ready when you want to apply will avoid issues or the risk of forgetting something when faced with multiple online screens. It will be particularly helpful if you only have access to one screen and helps avoid flicking between online information and the online application portal.
Defra has also provided guidance on how to fix any common online application problems. Visit: GOV.UK | Applying for SFI26: how to fix common problems
Additionally the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has produced an SFI cost benefit tool which enables farmers and land managers to select actions and volumes of those actions they are considering to include in their agreement. The tool asks you to estimate how much you think it would cost to complete the action and takes the difference between payment rate and estimated cost to calculate a revenue benefit.
If you have any queries on the scheme requirements please ask. Contact either the RPA or NFU CallFirst.
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