Thousands of farmers attend protest against tax changes

THOUSANDS of farmers, many of them from Tyrone, gathered at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn on Monday night to show their frustration and anger about proposed changes to inheritance tax.

The protest, which was organised by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), saw over 6,000 farmers in attendance, alongside agricultural leaders and politicians.

In her budget last month, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced farms valued at over £1 million would face inheritance tax charged at a rate of 20 per-cent, and payable in instalments over ten years from April 2026.

This will mean anyone inheriting a farm worth more than £1 million will pay large amounts of tax.

For years, the Agricultural Property Relief (APR) tax relief has enabled small family farms, including land used for crops or rearing animals, as well as farm buildings, cottages and houses, to be handed down through the generations.

Many farmers claim that these changes to inheritance tax will mean this may not be the case.

One of those who attended the event on Monday was Omagh farmer Andrew Wright.

He told the Ulster Herald that farmers are united in their anger at changes to inheritance tax as they feel it could be disastrous for the industry.

Mr Wright said, “Part of the reason many young people enter the profession is to keep their family farms going. The legacies of our families and history mean a lot to us.

“My own family have been farming in Omagh since 1903. The proposed changes to inheritance tax mean many families will end up being forced to give up farms that have been handed down through generations.

“Farmers feel like we are always the ones who are being punished and we are always taking the brunt of the financial mistakes of others. The morale of the local farming community is at an all-time low, with many people worried about the future of the industry.

“There is so much red tape, and we are very over-regulated.”

Mr Wright added, “Farmers aren’t just angry about inheritance tax; we are frustrated at many problems in the industry, including building regulations and the ability to rent and buy land. Monday night showed that we can unite together and stand as one when we have a common enemy, and I hope we can do so to fight for other issues as well.”

‘TOTALLY UNREALISTIC’

Castlederg dairy farmer Jessica Pollock, who is the vice-chair of the North Tyrone branch of the UFU, was among the speakers at the protest.

She told the Ulster Herald that local farmers feel like they are not being listened to by Westminster and politicians about the problems within the industry.

“The £1m limit needs to be re-addressed; the figures being used by the Government using are totally unrealistic, and, if this goes ahead as is, it will devastate the rural economy,” Jessica said.

“Monday evening was a great success, and I felt that I needed to speak at the event because these changes to inheritance tax will directly affect me and people my age. The death of a family member is not something people can prepare for and can be a sudden thing.

“Many farmers will be caught out by these new rules, and I hope that does not mean that families will lose their farms.”

Jessica added, “Young people are not going into the industry already, and with the government introducing these changes, it makes it even less likely they will.

“Why would anyone want to put in all the hours needed to run a successful family farm when before they even start they are being asked to pay a bill of hundreds of thousands of pounds?”

A number of the politicians in attendance addressed the crowd, including the First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir, Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart and North Antrim MP Jim Allister.

‘direct threat’

Also speaking at the event was West Tyrone MLA Declan McAleer, who claimed that changes to inheritance tax could end up with local families at risk of losing their farms.

Mr McAleer said, “The British government’s announcement of a £1 million inheritance tax threshold is another example of a policy decision being made without any regard for the realities facing farming families here.

“This threshold is a direct threat to the future of family farms. Our farms are the backbone of rural society and rural economy, and this policy risks forcing farm families into more financial hardship, making it more difficult to pass on their land and livelihoods to the next generation.

“This decision further exposes a profound disconnect between the British government’s priorities and the needs of farming and rural communities here. Farming sustains rural communities, protects our landscapes, and ensures food security for everyone. Yet policies like these do not recognise that farms are living, working enterprises that underpin our society.”

The West Tyrone MLA, whois Sinn Fein’s agriculture spokesperson, added, “Westminster must make the right political choices – they must prioritise the livelihoods of hardworking farm families over shortsighted policies. Our farmers deserve better.

“They deserve policies that support them and Sinn Féin stands firmly with our farming community and demands action to protect the future of farming.”