Starmer Retreats on Inheritance Tax After Farmers’ Backlash (2)

December 23, 2025, 5:18 PM UTC

Keir Starmer’s Labour government has raised the threshold for inheritance tax on agricultural property from £1 million ($1.4 million) to £2.5 million, a major concession in a long-running battle with British farmers.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said Tuesday the change meant married couples or civil partners could pass on £5 million of farming or other business property combined, without paying inheritance tax.

Labour’s initial proposal to slash tax relief on farms, announced in October 2024, had provoked anger from farmers across the UK, with some driving tractors into central London to protest against the measures. ...

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