Overview

• New rules levy a 20% charge on agricultural assets above £1 million, exposing estates with valuable land but limited cash.
• The Times reports a record 6,365 agriculture, forestry and fishing businesses sold in the year to June, with many sales following the inheritance tax announcement.
• Reports suggest the Treasury may raise full relief to £5 million per qualifying owner where farmland and business assets dominate estates, with no decision confirmed.
• Farmers warn they will sell land or machinery to meet liabilities, reducing output and complicating succession, and a Derbyshire family expects a bill of about £500,000.
• The government says it is backing the sector with nature-focused funding, new trade deals and reforms to Agricultural and Business Property Relief, plus a ten-year interest-free payment option.