Uk government quietly announces major u-turn on farmland inheritance tax threshold days before christmas

The UK government has dramatically reversed course on its controversial inheritance tax policy for farmers, raising the tax threshold from £1 million to £2.5 million in what opposition politicians are calling a deliberately timed announcement designed to avoid public scrutiny.

The policy reversal was quietly announced in a government press release just two days before Christmas, prompting sharp criticism from Conservative shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins, who described the timing as “very odd” and accused ministers of trying to “sneak out” the significant policy change during the holiday period when public and media attention is typically focused elsewhere.

The original inheritance tax proposal had sparked widespread protests from farming communities across Britain, who argued that the £1 million threshold would force many family farms to be sold to cover tax bills, potentially breaking up agricultural operations that have been passed down through generations. Environmental advocates had also expressed concern that such forced sales could lead to farmland being converted to other uses, potentially impacting biodiversity and sustainable food production.

This latest U-turn represents another significant policy reversal for the government and highlights the ongoing tension between fiscal policy and agricultural sustainability. The higher £2.5 million threshold is expected to protect more family farming operations from inheritance tax obligations, potentially preserving traditional farming practices and maintaining agricultural land use. However, the controversial timing of the announcement has raised questions about government transparency and accountability on policies that significantly impact both rural communities and environmental stewardship.