We are now receiving applications for the Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant as announced in New funding boost to protect England's iconic peatlands - GOV.UK.
Up to £36 million is available to install infrastructure that will allow applicants to better manage water for lowland peat areas. Follow this link for more details and how to Apply for a lowland peat water implementation grant - GOV.UK.
The grant is open for applications until 18 September 2026
What is the purpose of this grant?
Lowland peatlands are one of England's most important landscapes. They lock away carbon, support wildlife, and are some of our most productive farmland. But decades of drainage have left them drained and degraded - drying out, releasing carbon, and putting ecosystems at risk.
The Implementation Grant scheme will fund the delivery of infrastructure needed to retain higher water levels safely within England’s lowland landscapes for the preservation of our peat soils. Its primary aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from lowland peat, whilst also delivering wider benefits such as more sustainable land use, improved flood and drought resilience, and enhanced biodiversity. The scheme will support projects that take a collaborative, strategic approach to water management across lowland peatland catchments.
Why is the grant needed?
Raising water tables in lowland peat is one of the most effective actions we can take for nature recovery and climate resilience. It takes local knowledge, local partnerships, and solutions that reflect the real needs and opportunities of each catchment.
Around 80% of England’s peatlands are in a degraded state, contributing roughly to 2% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, an amount comparable to emissions from around 3.5 million homes. Sadly, drained lowland peat is responsible for 88% of these emissions.
However, if we can adopt more sustainable water table management, we can help slow soil degradation, cut emissions, and maintain productive, sustainable agriculture.
Previous grant schemes such as the Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot (LAPWDP) and the Lowland Agricultural Peat Small Infrastructure Pilot (LAPSIP) have highlighted the opportunities for new and adapted water management infrastructure to safely raise water tables in lowland peat soils, which will in turn enable more sustainable land management activities to be undertaken.
Who is managing the grant?
The grant is being led by the Environment Agency with support from the Association of Drainage Authorities (ADA) and the Defra Lowland Peat Team. We have worked closely together to get the implementation grant up and running.
What does a successful project look like?
We want projects that will:
- Install infrastructure to enable the rewetting of lowland peat, raising water tables in lowland peat soils safely
- Work with local stakeholders to create effective collaborations
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from lowland peat, reducing peat deterioration
- Contribute to wider benefits such as aiding a transition towards a mosaic of more sustainable land uses, improved biodiversity, and resilience to flooding and drought
Who can apply?
If you are a:
• charity or not for profit organisation
• public body (including local authorities and internal drainage boards)
• land manager
• business or commercial enterprise
based in England within areas of lowland peat, then you are eligible! Collaboration with stakeholders is encouraged, as we want to ensure that the project is appropriate for the area.
How do I apply?
If you think this is the grant for you, please follow this link for more details and to request an application pack - Apply for a lowland peat water implementation grant - GOV.UK
Applications must be received by 23:59 by 18 September 2026. We expect to award grants in December 2026 and grant projects must complete by 31 March 2030.
We plan to run a second application window in Summer 2028 with projects also needing to be complete by 31 March 2030. Further details will follow for this.
How much money can I apply for?
You can apply for a grant between £100,000 and £2,000,000. Grants can cover up to 100% of eligible project costs.
Fund community
The Lowland Peat Water Grants team runs a SharePoint website that contains more information about the scheme. EA Lowland Peat Water Discovery and Implementation Grants - Home It’s also where you will find answers to common questions and where we host our key documents such as the grant handbook. Please note that you may need to request access when first attempting to use this resource.
Want to find out more? Join our webinar!
We are hosting an application webinar on 15 July that will provide more information to help aid your application. We will be answering questions you may have, so if you are interested in attending, please register using this link MS Teams Registration Link
If you can’t make the webinar, or you have questions not answered by the guidance, you can still contact the team using this email address: peatwatergrants@environment-agency.gov.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!
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