UFU renews call for complete reversal of IHT changes as they enter force

While the changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) will see the 100% threshold at £2.5 million transferable between partners, with a 50% relief thereafter, the UFU continues to work with all political parties to ensure they pledge to completely overturn the policy in their next manifesto.

UFU president, William Irvine, said: "The original proposals of a £1 million threshold brought forward in the 2024 Autumn Budget would have been catastrophic to agriculture, and were based on nothing other than a complete lack of understanding or respect for how agriculture operates both in Northern Ireland and across the UK.”

He added: “However, as a result of sustained, coordinated lobbying by the UFU and other UK farming unions, backed by members, industry partners and stakeholders, those proposals were changed. This result shows the strength of a united voice across the UK farming industry."

According to the UFU, the organisation has continuously raised how Northern Ireland will be severely and disproportionately affected by IHT changes as a result of higher land values, an older demographic of farmers, and a greater prevalence of sole-owner, livestock-based farms.

The president reiterated how the UFU intend to continue lobbying for further changes to IHT proposals, both immediately on the practical challenges with the current policy, and with political parties longer-term.

He further explained: “We are in a better position today than we were at this stage last year, but as I said in December when the announcement was made, the work is still not done.

“The UFU are pressing the UK Government to remove this harmful family farm tax completely, and we continue to lobby all political parties in Westminster to see that this policy change is in their next manifestos.”