Tree Health Pilot (THP)
Forestry Commission · Selected regions in England: North West, West Midlands, South East and London. Spruce with a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) for eight-toothed spruce bark beetle can also qualify under the relevant conditions. (Find a Grant)
The Tree Health Pilot (THP) is a grant scheme designed to slow the spread of pests and diseases affecting trees in England. It supports owners and managers of trees in woodland and outside woodland with funding for measures including felling and treatment, infrastructure and access improvements, restocking, maintenance and biosecurity. (Find a Grant)
Summary
Deadline
31 Mar 2029
Updated
16 Oct 2026
The Tree Health Pilot (THP) is a grant scheme designed to slow the spread of pests and diseases affecting trees in England. It supports owners and managers of trees in woodland and outside woodland with funding for measures including felling and treatment, infrastructure and access improvements, restocking, maintenance and biosecurity. (Find a Grant)
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Forestry, land management, environmental conservation
Match funding
Not specified
Eligible applicants
Owners and managers of trees or woodlands affected by specified pests and diseases, including eligible individual and group applicants depending on the grant type
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
Funding can cover eligible costs for felling and treatment, infrastructure and access aids, restocking and capital items, maintenance for up to 3 years where applicable, biosecurity items and facilitation fees for eligible group applications. The SPHN advice and support package has a fixed value of £475. (Find a Grant)
Total fund available
Not specified
Funding intensity
Funding can cover eligible costs for felling and treatment, infrastructure and access aids, restocking and capital items, maintenance for up to 3 years where applicable, biosecurity items and facilitation fees for eligible group applications. The SPHN advice and support package has a fixed value of £475. (Find a Grant)
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Tree health management, pest and disease control, restocking and woodland resilience
Eligible expenses
- Site surveys, protected species surveys and other eligible costs associated with tree health interventions
Ineligible costs
- Work or expenditure undertaken before the grant agreement is signed, duplicate funding for the same activity, and activities outside the relevant grant's eligible costs. (Find a Grant)
Application and risks
Application platform
Forestry Commission application process, including expression of interest and full application forms submitted by email
Competitiveness
Not scored
Decision timeline
Forestry Commission contacts applicants within 2 to 6 weeks of receiving a completed application to confirm whether the application was successful and the amount of funding available. An initial eligibility assessment and, where appropriate, pre-assessment site visit take place before the full application. (Find a Grant)
Assessment process
Forestry Commission contacts applicants within 2 to 6 weeks of receiving a completed application to confirm whether the application was successful and the amount of funding available. An initial eligibility assessment and, where appropriate, pre-assessment site visit take place before the full application. (Find a Grant)
Application sections
Not specified
Application components
- Expression of interest form where required, site assessment, full application form, maps, quotations and supporting evidence, plus a Single Business Identifier (SBI) number. (Find a Grant)
Required documents
Not specified
Appendices
Not specified
Assessment criteria
- Applications are assessed on their contribution to research and learning and their potential to achieve positive plant health outcomes. The scheme is competitive and eligibility is also assessed through the initial assessment and site visit. (Find a Grant)
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if they fail eligibility requirements, do not achieve sufficient plant health outcomes or do not meet the relevant grant conditions. Funding is also unavailable for activities started before the grant agreement is signed.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
1 Aug 2021
Project duration
Not specified
Project start
Not specified
Project end
Not specified
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-14.
Initial Research Grant
Not specified
Training Grant
Included, including mandatory biosecurity, tree health and mammal damage training webinars for successful applicants
Future Funding (Subject to Stage Gate)
Not specified
In-Kind Support
Advisory support, pre-assessment site visits and Forestry Commission workshops and guidance
Intent to Apply Deadline
Not specified
International Participation
Not applicable
Eligible Training Costs
Biosecurity, tree health and mammal damage training; Forestry Commission workshops and guidance
Key Organisational Requirements
Applicants must manage trees or woodlands affected by eligible pests or diseases. Woodland applications generally require the relevant group of trees to cover at least 0.5 hectares, be at least 5 metres high or capable of growing to that height, and have more than 20% crown cover. The minimum grant application value is £500. (Find a Grant)
Governance Requirements
Applicants must comply with Forestry Commission requirements, statutory plant health requirements where applicable, environmental regulations and the terms of their grant agreement.
Monitoring Requirements
Applicants must keep detailed records, submit evidence such as receipts and photographs, complete required training and biosecurity documentation, and may be subject to Forestry Commission inspections. (Find a Grant)
Doctoral Studentships
Not applicable
Industry Leverage Expectation
Not specified
Environmental & EDI Requirements
Focus on improving tree health, biodiversity, woodland resilience and the wider treescape, while managing the environmental risks associated with pests and diseases.
important notes
Eligible pests and diseases include Phytophthora ramorum affecting larch or sweet chestnut, eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, oak processionary moth in the established area and ash dieback. Activities must not begin before the grant agreement is signed. The current listed closing date is 31 March 2029, so the scheme is open, not closed. (Find a Grant)
Application deadline in source document
31 March 2029, 11:59pm (Find a Grant)
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Verification Required
- Deadline
- 31 Mar 2029
- Funding amount
- Funding can cover eligible costs for felling and treatment, infrastructure and access aids, restocking and capital items, maintenance for up to 3 years where applicable, biosecurity items and facilitation fees for eligible group applications. The SPHN advice and support package has a fixed value of £475. (Find a Grant)
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant funding for tree health interventions, including felling, treatment, restocking, infrastructure, maintenance and biosecurity
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Forestry, land management, environmental conservation
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- Not specified