Famers to park up outside Dorchester supermarket in action over inheritance tax
They say they want to educate shoppers about the challenges they face
Last updated 17th Jan 2025
Dorset farmers will park their tractors outside a supermarket in Dorchester today, in protest at the Government's changes to inheritance tax.
The action outside Tesco is also aimed at educating shoppers about the challenges they face.
From April 2026, inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1M will be liable to 20% - that's half the usual rate.
Bridport farmer, Quentin Miller says they make very little.
He told us: "The rhetoric is for cheap food in this country. Back when we used to pay inheritance tax in the 1980's fertiliser has gone from £80 a tonne to £350. The margins in agriculture have been totally squeezed to safeguard cheaper prices in the shops."
Quentin added the changes will have a “severe and long-lasting” impact.
He said: " The vast majority of traditional farms have really struggled to make any sort of meaningful profit. The number of family farms that will be impacted has been grossly underestimated. From a personally point of view it will hugely effect us."
A statement on the Government's website says:
"The government is better targeting these reliefs to make them fairer, protecting small family farms.
"The latest figures show that the top 7% (the largest 117 claims) account for 40% of the total value of agricultural property relief. This costs the taxpayer £219 million. The top 2% of claims (37 claims) account for 22% of agricultural property relief, costing £119 million.
"It is not fair for a very small number of claimants each year to claim such a significant amount of relief, when this money could better be used to fund our public services."