The letters encourage MPs to watch an emotional interview aired by BBC One's Countryfile with NFU Cymru Crops and Horticulture Board Chair Tom Rees and his father Charles in which they highlight the disastrous consequences of the proposed inheritance tax changes on their family farm, especially on their ability to continue to produce food and the viability of the farm for future generations.
Use our tool to email your MP today and ask them to watch this powerful interview to see why they need to speak up for farming families in their constituency and ask the Treasury to rethink the proposed tax changes.
“Even at this late stage, there is still time for government to do what is right and still raise the money that is needed.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Farmers share their stories
One year on from the announcement of the family farm tax, BBC Countryfile looked at how it has impacted farm businesses and NFU representatives were front and centre.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw told viewers that the upcoming Autumn Budget is a key opportunity for the government to mitigate the policy's impact on the sector.
NFU Cymru Crops and Horticulture Board Chair Tom Rees spoke about succession and explained how the tax is affecting on-farm investment. His parents, Charles and Ruth Rees, reflected on the challenges they faced with inheritance tax in the 1970s when Charles inherited the farm from his own father and his worries about passing the farm to Tom.
Leicestershire member Greg Parkes emphasised how investment has stalled on his farm as he's had to use the money for tax advice instead.
Human impact
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said he was “grateful to the British public for getting on board with this letter writing campaign and for their unwavering support for our farmers and growers”.
He added: “It is remarkable that in the space of less than two weeks, more than 12,000 letters have been emailed to politicians of all parties. Many MPs have been contacted by more than 50 constituents which really helps the message cut through.
“This awful and unfair tax is going to have so many unintended consequences and the human impact is not being considered by the government. You only have to watch the powerful interview with the Rees family on BBC Countryfile to understand how many farming families will be left in the lurch, unable to afford horrendous future tax bills.
“The Budget is just over two weeks away. Even at this late stage, there is still time for government to do what is right and still raise the money that is needed. I urge them to review the alternatives that have been proposed by us and others to this totally unfair and damning family farm tax, to make the changes that will back British farming – and back investment in Britain’s future.”
The NFU has written to the Chancellor outlining its Autumn Budget submission proposals which include a more targeted approach to inheritance tax reform that raises more revenue for the Exchequer, and rules out any changes to inheritance tax relief for lifetime gifts.
The NFU’s Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign has not only received enormous backing from the British public but, over the past year, has had broad support from across the UK's food and farming sectors and other allied industries, retailers and the influential Efra Select Committee who have all said the family farm tax is unfair to those affected.
The independent UK-based research centre CenTax (Centre for the Analysis of Taxation) has also argued that the policy needs changes to deliver the government’s intentions and has proposed a number of amendments.
For anyone who has been affected by the issues outlined in this article, help is available. Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, or visit their website to find the nearest branch.
