In pictures: Derbyshire farmers in unity day against tax changes across county

Agricultural workers pulled up in tractors with banners in Chesterfield, Buxton, Chapel-en-le-Frith, New Mills and Glossop gathering public support for the Stop The Family Farm Tax campaign on Saturday.

They joined thousands of others in towns and cities across the UK – including Chapel en le Frith, Buxton and Bakewell in Derbyshire – urging the Government to rethink reforms to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR).

Presently farmers can claim 100 per cent relief on inheritance tax however under new rules effective from April 2026 relief will be restricted to the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property. Above this amount, landowners will pay inheritance tax at a reduced rate of 20 per cent.

The Government claims the bulk of previous claims for tax relief – based on its latest figures – were below the £1 million threshold and “almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief would not be affected by the changes”.

However analysis undertaken for the National Farmers Union (NFU) demonstrates the opposite, the union claims – with 75 per cent of commercial family farms impacted by the inheritance tax changes.

On Saturday farmers spoke to people about rearing livestock, growing food and the “potentially devastating” impact the Government’s family farm tax will have on rural businesses,

communities and the wider economy.

Derbyshire farmer Jane Bassett, NFU county chair and NFU Midlands regional board chair, said: “I would like to thank all who backed us on the farming day of unity and there is a

great deal of public support out there.

“The way to make a positive change and get the government to reconsider this ill-thought-out and damaging policy is through harnessing that public support and by continuing to

engage with politicians.”