Thousands of farmers marched on Westminster today in protest against the government’s plans to impose inheritance tax on farms.
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been urged to meet with representatives from the industry after she unveiled plans in the Budget to impose inheritance tax (IHT) on farms worth more than £1m from April 2026.
The move sparked outrage and triggered a day of protest on Tuesday, with thousands of farmers and agricultural workers gathering in Whitehall to express their disapproval.
A line of tractors circled the Houses of Parliament draped in Union Jack flags and blasting their horns, while protestors held signs reading: “No farmers, no food”, “Bullocks to Reeves”, “Hands off our farms, Robber Reeves”, and “Keir Starmer Farmer Harmer”.
Speaking to GB News from the G20 summit in Rio, the Prime Minister said he understood the concerns but most farms worth up to £3m could be passed on tax free thanks to combined reliefs on the policy.
“I’m confident the vast majority of farms will not be affected… but I understand the concerns,” Sir Keir Starmer said. “I think the right thing to do is meet that concern and talk.”
Under the plans, farms would be hit with a 20 per cent inheritance tax on any value above £1m. However, no inheritance tax will be paid on the value of property up to £325,000, meaning the untaxed total could reach £1.325m.
If a farmer is married or in a civil partnership, their partner can pass on another £1.325m tax free, meaning the total untaxed amount can reach £2.65m, along with a further £175,000 tax-free if it is passed on to children or grandchildren. This brings the total untaxed amount for a farming couple to up to £3m.
Speaking to City AM, Julia Bartlet, a family farmer from Caerphilly, south Wales, insisted the protests would continue, and that the government “had better” reverse the policy.
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