RP16: Rainwater goods
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-03)

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the rainwater goods item.

This item is part of Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Capital Grants 2025 guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-grants-2025) to understand the rules and how to apply. If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht) to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£11.55 per metre (m).

How this item benefits the environment

It ensures new guttering, and downpipes (rainwater goods) prevent the discharge of clean water on to fouled yard areas. This helps reduce the risk of water pollution.

This item can help you protect, recover and improve biodiversity on your land.

Where you can use this item

You can only use this item in areas targeted to reduce water pollution from agriculture. Catchment Sensitive Farming (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/catchment-sensitive-farming-reduce-agricultural-water-pollution) will tell you where these areas are.

Catchment Sensitive Farming provides advice where there are water quality or flood risk issues linked to farming.

You cannot use this item:
- for guttering and downpipes on proposed new buildings
- on covered or indoor yards
What you must do to use this item

You must:
- install new guttering and downpipes on existing farmyard buildings
- direct clean water from rainwater goods into a clean water drain
Evidence you must keep

You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide them with your claim.

You must also keep and provide on request:
- any consents or permissions connected with the work
- receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
- photographs of the site before works start
Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agreement-holders-guide-capital-grants-higher-tier-capital-grants-and-protection-and-infrastructure-grants-2025) for more information.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht).

Other items you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

RP13: Yard underground drainage pipework (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/yard-underground-drainage-pipework-rp13)

RP14: Yard inspection pit (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/yard-inspection-pit-rp14)

RP15: Concrete yard renewal (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/concrete-yard-renewal-rp15)

RP17: Storage tanks underground (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/storage-tanks-underground-rp17)

RP18: Above ground tanks (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/above-ground-tanks-rp18)

RP19: First flush rainwater diverters and downpipe filters (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/first-flush-rainwater-diverters-and-downpipe-filters-rp19)

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.

British Standards

Check to make sure the work meets relevant British Standards (https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/products-and-services/standards/).

Listed and historic buildings

This item can be detrimental if used close to a historic farmstead or listed building. You should consider the nature and historic value of the existing surfaces when siting this item. You should get advice on whether listed building consent is needed.

Effective use of water on dairy farms

Read about the effective use of water on dairy farms on the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) website (http://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/technical-information/environment/water-use/).