Earlier this week, the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) joined more than 100 businesses, retailers and trade bodies from across the food and farming supply chain in signing an open letter to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer. Together, we urged the Government to reconsider planned changes to inheritance tax ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget.
With less than a week to go until the Budget announcement, the letter sets out how the proposed reforms would unfairly penalise thousands of working people running family farms. Unless amended, the changes risk severe unintended consequences, including farms being forced to sell off land and core business assets simply to meet significant and unexpected tax bills.
Taxation experts, including the Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (Cen Tax) have already put forward practical solutions to mitigate these impacts. Without such measures, farming businesses will face reduced capacity to deliver employment, support local communities and contribute to national economic growth.
The TFA has also submitted detailed recommendations to Government, including specific legislative amendments that could be made before the Finance Bill is introduced to Parliament. We continue to press for these changes to ensure the tenanted sector of agriculture in England and Wales is protected. To hear the latest updates on how the TFA is working on behalf of members, click here. To read the TFA consultation submission in full, click here.
Read this week’s letter in full:
Dear Prime Minister,
Ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget on 26 November, we are writing on behalf of businesses from across the country to ask that you look again at the changes to inheritance tax.
We know a number of solutions have been put forward to mitigate the impact of the proposed changes on businesses who deliver for employment, local communities and above all, economic growth.
Let us be clear – as currently proposed, this policy is anti-growth. It is stopping businesses and farms from investing. However, there is still time to get this right.
We urge you and your Chancellor to reconsider so we can all find a constructive way forward.
Yours sincerely,
Tenant Farmers’ Association (TFA)
Tenant Farmers’ Association Cymru
National Farmers’ Union
National Farmers’ Union Cymru
National Farmers’ Union Scotland
Ulster Farmers’ Union
Country Land and Business Association
Aldi
Asda
Co-op Group
Lidl
Ocado Retail
Morrisons
Marks & Spencer
Waitrose
ABP (Anglo Beef Processors) UK
Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC)
Association of Independent Meat Suppliers
Arla
British Egg Industry Council
British Growers Association
British Poultry Council
British Sandwich & Food to Go Association
County Milk Products
Crediton Dairy
Dairy UK
Dunbia
Euro Quality Lambs
Farm Retail Association
GB Potatoes
Historic Houses
Horticultural Trades Association (HTA)
Kepak
Meadow Foods Ltd
Myton Food Group
National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC)
National Pig Association (NPA)
Provision Trade Federation
The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers
The Construction Plant-hire Association
The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF)
The National Association of Agricultural Contractors
UK Chamber of Shipping
UK Flour Millers
335 Limpsfield Road Ltd
AER Bailey & Son
Alexander Farming Ltd
Black Robins Farm
CG & D Heal Ltd
Coombe Lacey Farm
Cotteswold Dairy Ltd
D & M Emmett
D C & W K Edwards
D C Robinson
Double Arches Landscapes
Dovecote Park
EnviroSystems UK Ltd
F W Dobson & Co (Farms) Ltd
- J. Garner & Sons
FA & EJ Ellson
Farm Cornwall
Fieldfare Farms Ltd
Firm Of W A Glover
Firtree Farm Partnership.
- R. Wright & Sons Ltd
- W. Winter & Son
GLW Feeds Limited
Greenlands Farm Stud
Greenlands Nutrition Ltd
Harrison Farms
Hurst Estate
Ian Gilbert and sons
J Gogle & Son
J Merritt
- Batchelar & Son
JP, JM & JM Hutchinson
JR RA BOWERS
Kingshay Farming and Conservation Ltd
Lydeard Farm
M J Davies (Farming)
M&R Pritchard & Sons
Micklefield Hall Ltd
Midwest Plant Limited (Construction)
Mike Smith Garden Services
MW & PV Ward
Nethergate Farms
NJ & S Herbert
PC Steele FCA
Phipps Farm Partnership
PW Francis and Partners
R C & C Gregory & Sons
R E Wooddisse and Sons
R Swift and Sons
Razey and Osmond
Redhill Farm
Roboscientific Limited
Rood Lane Ryelands
Russell’s (Kirbymoorside) Limited
Scott Oldroyd & Co
SI & CL Gilbert
Springfield farm (ambergate) Ltd
Sunrise Eggs
T H & G M Watkins & Son
TE & DJ Woolliscroft
Treasure Holdings Ltd.
W F Coombe & Son
Woodlands Hotel & Pine Lodges
YDJ1 Ltd, Manor Farm Nursery
