Inheritance tax plans tormenting farmers, union tells Starmer
The UK government has announced plans, beginning in April 2026, to tax inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m at a rate of 20% - half the usual rate.
NFU Cymru President Aled Jones has called on Sir Keir Starmer to "mitigate very many of the human impacts" of the proposals, while also increasing government revenue.
The UK government, which previously said its inheritance tax reforms were "vital", has been asked for comment on Mr Jones' appeal.
How are the inheritance tax rules changing?
Family farm 'turmoil' over inheritance tax - NFU
Sleepless nights and anger as farmers protest
Mr Jones said he felt "compelled" to write to the prime minister after being contacted by "hundreds of Welsh farming families" he said were impacted by the proposed changes.
The UK government has said the changes will only affect the wealthiest 500 farms each year, but Mr Jones said he was concerned that the number of farms impacted "will be far greater than Treasury predictions".
Farming unions have estimated that up to 70,000 farmers could be affected overall.
Mr Jones said he was particularly concerned about the impact on older farmers, who are "tormented with the continual worry that their passing will create an unmanageable financial burden for their loved ones".
"I know that no government would want to place anyone in the difficult and invidious position that many elderly farmers now find themselves in," the letter said.
"My view remains that an opportunity still exists for your government to mitigate very many of the human impacts of these policy proposals, whilst meeting the government's aim of raising revenue."
The UK government has maintained that, under its changes, three quarters of estates would continue to pay no inheritance tax at all, while the remaining quarter would pay half the inheritance tax that most people pay.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Police chief hits back at Reform UK after ‘cover-up' accusations regarding rape suspects
Police have denied a 'cover up' after a councillor accused the force of withholding information following the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl. Warwickshire Police's chief constable Alex Franklin-Smith has asked the Home Office to confirm the full immigration status of Ahmad Mulakhil and Mohammad Kabir, who have been charged in connection with the offence. It comes after Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage and Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch claimed there had been a 'cover up' after police charged the two men, who are Afghan asylum seekers. In a letter to the Home Secretary and Warwickshire Police's chief constable, Mr Finch, the youngest council leader in the country, claimed that not publicising the pair's immigration status 'risks public disorder breaking out on the streets of Warwickshire'. Responding to Mr Finch, Mr Franklin-Smith wrote that the force 'did not and will not' cover up alleged criminality. 'I am confident that Warwickshire Police has treated this investigation seriously from the outset working tirelessly to identify, locate, arrest and charge those suspected of being responsible for this awful crime as quickly as possible.' Of the suspects, he wrote: 'The immigration status of Ahmad Mulakhil and Mohammad Kabir is now public knowledge, having been placed into the public domain by yourself. 'In light of that, I have asked the Home Office to confirm the full immigration status of Ahmad Mulakhil and Mohammad Kabir as per the information we shared with the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts as part of this case.' Of a conversation he and Mr Finch had on July 31, Mr Franklin-Smith wrote: 'You informed me you had already received a confidential briefing from your chief executive and that you knew the person charged was an asylum seeker. 'I confirmed this was accurate and we wouldn't be releasing immigration status at point of charge as we follow national guidance. 'I explained the information would become public knowledge as part of the court process and that all partners must ensure we are prepared to manage any potential protest and/or disorder at that stage. 'I explained we had a police gold commander leading the overall response to this case and that the communications plan agreed by them followed consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service. 'I also explained we had briefed the Home Office. 'To be clear, I cannot tell elected individuals what to do.' Following the reported attack in Nuneaton, Mulakhil, 23, was arrested on July 26 and charged the next day with rape, according to police. Mulakhil appeared at Coventry Magistrates' Court last Monday and has been remanded in custody. Kabir, 23, was arrested in Nuneaton on Thursday and charged with kidnap, strangulation and aiding and abetting rape of a girl under 13, the force added. Kabir appeared at Coventry Magistrates' Court on Saturday and has been remanded in custody. The issue of how much information is revealed by police regarding suspects has been the subject of fierce debate following a string of high-profile cases including the Southport killings last year. On Tuesday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said 'we do think more transparency is needed' in the information given by police and that 'guidance needs to change'. In a statement released on Tuesday evening, a Home Office spokesperson said: 'As the Home Secretary said this morning, it has been widely reported that this case involves two Afghan individuals who are in the asylum system, some of which information has already been confirmed in open court. 'The Home Secretary has made clear that there is a strong public interest in maximum transparency wherever that is possible. 'That is why the Home Office and College of Policing are working together to strengthen and clarify the guidance around how and when information is released.' Warwickshire Police previously said they do not believe anyone else was involved in the reported rape but are continuing to appeal for witnesses who may have information that could assist inquiries.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Redding council decides Tuesday night if voters go to polls for sales tax increase
Redding City Council members will decide Tuesday if voters will go to the polls in November to approve or reject a citywide 1% sales tax increase. The council will vote to go forward or not with a resolution to declare a special election to decide the new tax measure's outcome. If it lands on the Redding ballot and voters pass the measure, sales tax in Redding would increase to 8.25% — up from 7.25%. That 1% would generate an estimated $30 million revenue bump per year, according to the city. The money is intended to cover public safety services, parks and infrastructure, the resolution said. That new revenue would go a long way to plug the city's approximately $5-million budget deficit hole, opened because current revenue streams have yet to catch up with repairs and maintenance costs for Redding's streets, buildings, parks and airports, City Manager Barry Tippin reported last April. The council meets at 6 p.m. in council chambers at city hall, 777 Cypress Ave. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at the Redding Record Searchlight, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. The council added the issue to Tuesday's agenda after a citizens' group collected enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot last July. Shasta County elections officials counted 9,073 signatures in favor of placing the measure on the ballot. They'd validated 6,120 of those signatures as of July 21, City Clerk Sharlene Tipton said at the council's July 22 meeting; 304 more signatures than the 10% of registered voters proponents needed to put the measure on a Redding ballot. 'We live and work in the community and we are concerned about the shortfalls facing the city,' Redding Rancheria CEO and measure supporter Tracy Edwards said in April. We obviously want public safety and all the things the tax initiative is going to support.' If the city council approves putting the measure on the ballot, and Redding voters turn it down, it will be the third time a city sales tax increase fizzled at the polls in 11 years. Redding voters rejected similar tax increases in 2014 and 2016. Shasta County voters also passed on a public safety measure in 2020. California cities with 8.25% sales tax rates include Gridley in Butte County, Orland in Glenn County and Crescent City in Del Norte County. Chico (9.25%) to the south and Yreka (8.75%) to the north both have higher sales tax rates, according to the state. Record Searchlight reporter David Benda contributed to this story. Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Redding's Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding council considers 1% sales tax hike on November 2025 ballot Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Medtronic to announce financial results for its first quarter of fiscal year 2026
GALWAY, Ireland, Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced that it will report financial results on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, for its first quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended on Friday, July 25, 2025, A news release containing summary financial information will be issued at approximately 5:45 a.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT) and will be available at A video webcast to discuss results will begin at 7:00 a.m. CDT and can be accessed at Within 24 hours of the video webcast, a replay and transcript of the prepared remarks will be available by clicking on the Events link at Looking ahead, Medtronic plans to report its fiscal year 2026 second, third, and fourth quarter results on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, February 17, 2026, and Wednesday, May 20, 2026, respectively. Confirmation and additional details will be provided closer to the specific event. About MedtronicBold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), visit and follow Medtronic on LinkedIn. Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Contacts:Erika WinkelsPublic Relations+1-763-526-8478 Ryan WeispfenningInvestor Relations+1-763-505-4626 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Medtronic plc Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
