West Country farmers planning a major Westminster protest against inheritance tax

ITV News' Max Walsh spoke to farmers at Frome Livestock Market

Farmers have told ITV News how they feel “despondent” and “unwanted” after the government made changes to inheritance tax rules in its October Budget.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed plans to impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1 million.

Some farmers fear this could spell an end for large family farms, with land having to be sold off to pay the 20% tax.

Thousands of people are now expected to protest the changes at Westminster on Tuesday.

Andy Pobjoy, who runs a 350-acre mixed farm near Frome, is planning to attend the protest.

He said: “The government has basically shafted us. Yeah, they lied. If I died and I wanted to pass it on to my son, he would have to sell off probably a third of our farm and then it would become unviable.”

Anthony Duffin who runs a cattle farm said: “The new tax is a big worry. If they keep it as it is we would have to sell land. We could not possibly pay it.

Mr Duffin adds he believes farms will close as a result, and claims it could even lead to “starvation” in the future with a lack of food being produced.

Hinton farmer Pete Lawson says his 100 acre farm won’t be impacted by the changes to inheritance tax, but he says the costs of farming have made the last few years very difficult.

Mr Lawson said: “I feel despondent really. I feel personally that farmers aren’t wanted with our new government. All the prices have gone up terrifically - machinery, insurance, maintenance - it’s become harder to make a living.”

Young farmer warns tax will be 'catastrophic' for her generation

In Cornwall, Maria Warne-Elston is also planning to attend the Westminster protest.

She posts about her farming life to nearly 100,000 followers on TikTok and speaks out when she feels she must.

She told ITV News: “I was incredibly shocked just like many other farmers and small business owners when it came to the budget, especially with the inheritance taxes.

"We've already been a lot under a lot of pressure with the last governing bodies. So with it being seen that we're being hit again, it was really hard hearing and unfortunately we are now in a very awkward situation."

Maria added that she thought the Budget could be "catastrophic" for family farms.

"Not only do we supply our local neighbours, but we look after the local environment and preserve what we have, we also supply to supermarkets just like many other small farms.

"We're not just going to have to pay the inheritance tax - which is going to mean we have to sell land. It's already a small farm. How is a shop meant to function without its supply floor, and that's quite literally what a few acres means to a small farm like ours - we're also going to have to pay capital gains tax when we sell that land.

"So we're going to have to pay even more just to keep the farm."

At 3am on Tuesday 19 November, Maria will be setting off for London along with coach loads of farmers from right across the country to take part in the protest.

She said: “We really hope that the government will see where they've really gone wrong here, not just this government, but governments in the past. And for the future.

"You need small farmers. You might be looking at the numbers now. Think it over. That's not very many. The numbers all wrong. We're not we're probably not even in the numbers.

"And it affects us greatly. So hopefully as a result from this, we will see a better see a better support network for farmers."

Response from the Government

In the October Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "For assets over £1 million, inheritance tax will apply with a 50% relief at an effective rate of 20%.

"This will ensure that we continue to protect small family farms and three quarters with three quarters of claims unaffected by these changes."

The Government says roughly 500 claims a year are expected to be affected by the changes to inheritance tax, but that small family farms will be protected.

It also says it's planning to invest billions into farming over the next two years.

However, it reiterated that - due to the reported £22billion hole in public finances - higher taxes were necessary.

Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner told ITV News West Country's political correspondent Lucy McDaid: "The Budget is as the Budget is. The Chancellor's made her decision.

"What I think is disappointing is that to some extent the numbers that have been cited by some organisations quite reasonably have alarmed people.

"But I would just ask people to once again look at the numbers of actual claims and they're quite small."