The agriculture budget and IHT – a timeline of NFU lobbying

Track our progress on the fallout from the Autumn Budget 2024.


The family farm tax must be overturned.

Show your support and call for the government to overturn the family farm tax.

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November 2024

Family farm tax most unpopular measure in Autumn Budget, new polling finds

New polling, carried out by Portland this week, shows that changes to inheritance taxation on family farms are unpopular, and that perceptions that Labour does not value rural voters as highly as urban ones are building.

Inheritance tax on farms is revealed to be the joint most unpopular measure in the Budget, tied with changes to pensions.

The news comes as the NFU's campaign action to stop the family farm tax gains more than 255,000 signatures. 

November 2024

NFU organises a mass lobby to stop the family farm tax

Farmers and growers descend on London to meet with their MPs as part of the NFU’s call to action to reverse the family farm tax. NFU President Tom Bradshaw opens the mass lobby with an impassioned speech in Church House, Westminster with the presidents of the other UK farming unions on stage. Members then went to tell their story to their MPs. 

Support for the call to action quickly rises with over 231,000 members of the public joining the call to overturn the family farm tax.

November 2024

NFU meets with Defra and Treasury to discuss Inheritance Tax

NFU President Tom Bradshaw meets Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed and Treasury Minister James Murray to outline the impact of Inheritance Tax changes on family farms and national food security.

November 2024

Public backs NFU campaign to overturn family farm tax

On 1 November, the NFU launches the campaign urging the government to think again following its Autumn Budget announcement.

NFU members, British farmers and the public joined forces to call on the government to reverse its decision on the APR (Agricultural Property Relief), with more than 120,000 people adding their names to the campaign action to stop the family farm tax.

November 2024

NFU leads calls for family farm tax to be reversed

Britain’s farmers and growers will take part in a mass lobby of their MPs on 19 November to highlight the devastating impact of the recent budget on their farms, with changes to Agricultural Property Relief dealing a hammer blow to farming families.

Show your support and call for the government to overturn the family farm tax.

Add your name

 

Photograph: Mike Booth / Alamy

October 2024

Budget blow for British farming, says NFU

The NFU responds to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Autumn Budget announcement, warning that new measures could lead to food price rises.

New measures include changes to APR (Agricultural Property Relief) that are likely to impact significant numbers of farm estates, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and an above-inflation hike in the NLW (National Living Wage), with the rate for over 21s increasing 6.7% to £12.21 from April.

October 2024

Farming industry writes to Chancellor amid fears of inheritance tax relief changes

The UK farming industry comes together to warn the Chancellor about the crippling effect changes to inheritance tax reliefs, including APR and BPR, would have on family farms, tenant farmers, domestic food security and environmental delivery.

Read the letter in full.

 

Photograph: Alex MacNaughton / Alamy

October 2024

APR changes would put family farms at risk, warns NFU

Reports that the Treasury is considering major changes to agricultural property relief as part of the forthcoming budget spark concern among farmers and growers.

NFU analysis of APR suggests that scrapping it would only save the Treasury £120 million per year, while the negative impact on farming would be much larger.

The NFU secures a debate in parliament this on the issue.

October 2024

7 key Autumn Budget asks – NFU writes to the Chancellor

The NFU writes to the Chancellor outlining the key asks for farming – chief among them is the need for a multi-year agriculture budget of £5.6 billion.

We are also seeking confirmation that there will be no changes to APR (Agricultural Property Relief) which currently exempts farmland from inheritance tax.

The NFU believes that any removal of APR is unlikely to raise much in the way of tax, but could lead to a contraction in the amount of rental land for farmers.

 

Photograph: amanda rose / Alamy

October 2024

Parliament debates the agriculture budget

Following NFU lobbying, MPs from across the House of Commons call on the government to deliver an increased agriculture budget after an opposition debate day raises the importance of farming to Britain’s food security, environment and economic growth.

September 2024

NFU launches 'write to your MP' campaign action

NFU President Tom Bradshaw brands newly released Defra figures as “unacceptable”, after they showed a £130 million yearly underspend against plans between April 2023 and March 2024.

The NFU had repeatedly shared its concerns about this issue.

On Back British Farming Day, the NFU calls for the government to deliver a renewed and enhanced multi-annual agriculture budget of £5.6 billion in the Autumn Budget on 30 October.

The NFU hosts a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference with Food Security and Rural Affairs Minister Daniel Zeichner on the panel. We reiterate our call for an increased budget.

September 2024

Defra Secretary commits to making farming's case to Treasury

At the NFU's Back British Farming Day parliamentary reception, Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed pledges to make farming’s case to the Treasury.

July 2024

‘Food security is our shared mission’, Farming Minister tells NFU MP reception

NFU holds first parliamentary reception after the State Opening of the new parliament. NFU President Tom Bradshaw pushes Minister Daniel Zeichner on the budget.

July 2024

NFU has first meeting with new Defra Secretary

NFU President Tom Bradshaw meets new Defra Secretary Steve Reed.

After the meeting Tom says: “Steve Reed has just outlined his plan for change and it’s good to hear that food security, the environment and flood management are all focus areas. These now need to be underpinned by a budget that will enable the necessary investment.”

June 2024

NFU meets with parliamentary candidates

In the run up to the election the NFU meets with almost 400 candidates, ensuring our message on the budget is heard.

May 2024

General election announced

The government announces a general election to take place on 4 July. The NFU continues to make the case for an agriculture budget that delivers for British farming and growing. 

May 2024

No. 10 hosts second Farm to Fork Summit

The NFU has secured major wins and explored ways to restore farmers’ confidence at the second Farm to Fork summit.

The summit coincides with several announcements which represent major wins for the NFU.

December 2023

NFU launches its general election manifesto

The NFU launches its Farming for Britain’s Future key policy asks ahead of an anticipated general election. These asks contain research from The Andersons Centre that explains why a robust agriculture budget must deliver for the stability and productivity of farming alongside the environment.

This page was first published on 23 October 2024. It was updated on 25 November 2024.


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