Hilary Benn urged to take NI farmers’ inheritance tax concerns to Treasury

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has been urged to instrumentality the constituent straight to the Treasury that changes to inheritance taxation for farmers volition person a “disproportionate” effect successful the region.

DUP person Gavin Robinson told Mr Benn that the contention implicit the projected changes presented him with an accidental to beryllium Northern Ireland’s “champion wrong the Government”.

During an quality astatine the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Mr Benn said determination was a “fundamental quality of view” connected however galore radical would beryllium impacted by the Government’s plans.

Thousands of farmers and supporters took portion successful an lawsuit successful Lisburn connected Monday nighttime to protestation against the determination announced successful past month’s budget.

A fig past travelled to Whitehall connected Tuesday wherever they joined protesters from crossed the UK.

From April 2026, inherited cultivation assets worthy much than £1 million, which were antecedently exempt, volition person to wage inheritance taxation astatine 20%.

There person been antithetic claims astir however galore farms volition beryllium affected.

Mr Benn was asked astatine the committee what conversations helium had had with the Treasury astir the interaction successful Northern Ireland.

He said helium had not had discussions with immoderate Treasury ministers but had had a speech with the Environment Secretary.

I wholly recognize the interest that has been expressed due to the fact that this is simply a large change

Hilary Benn

He told MPs helium had met the Ulster Farmers’ Union and representatives of young farmers.

He said: “I wholly recognize the interest that has been expressed due to the fact that this is simply a large change.”

Mr Benn added: “I deliberation the vexation for everybody is determination is evidently an statement going connected astir to however galore estates volition it apply.

“The Treasury is precise clear, they person done their investigation and they accidental astir 25%, but I deliberation each husbandman I met contiguous is convinced it is going to use to them.

“Now some of those things can’t beryllium true.

“If, since 1992, you haven’t had to deliberation astir this astatine each and present you are going to person to deliberation astir it, what does it mean for your property planning? What are the assorted allowances depending connected the ownership operation of the farm? Have you got a spouse? Can you stock allowances betwixt you?

“That is thing that, with each of the different things that farmers person got to woody with – making a living, the weather, the challenges that they’ve got – of people it is not invited to them they person got to adhd that to the list.

“Only clip volition archer what the result is, but the farmers of people are making their dependable heard.”

Mr Robinson said: “These questions truly subordinate to whether your relation is to beryllium the Government’s champion successful Northern Ireland oregon Northern Ireland’s champion wrong the Government.

“I tin archer you determination is simply a greater density of farms which stay successful sole ownership oregon household ownership (in Northern Ireland) than is the lawsuit successful England, Scotland oregon Wales.

“Also onshore values per acre, cultivation onshore is worthy much successful Northern Ireland than successful England, Scotland oregon Wales and truthful determination is simply a disproportionate deed to the radical of Northern Ireland.

“So the question being asked – person you raised that with Treasury colleagues? – I deliberation what we would similar to perceive is that you are prepared to bash truthful and prepared to bespeak to your colleagues that the alteration successful inheritance taxation alleviation is going to person a disproportionate deed connected farmers and agrarian families successful Northern Ireland than different parts of the United Kingdom.”

A precise ample fig of radical deliberation this is going to use to me, it whitethorn crook retired that is not the lawsuit and that is the Treasury's view

Hilary Benn

Mr Benn said that arsenic much accusation emerges astir the interaction of the taxation alteration it should beryllium considered by those taking the argumentation forward.

He added: “We are astatine a signifier wherever determination is an lack of immoderate of that and a cardinal quality of presumption astir however radical are going to beryllium affected, which adds to the concern.

“A precise ample fig of radical deliberation ‘this is going to use to me’ – it whitethorn crook retired that is not the lawsuit and that is the Treasury’s view.

“A antithetic starting constituent connected what a proposition really means is not a adjuvant spot to statesman from.

“If we could hold a acceptable of facts astir the implications, including the interaction of higher onshore values successful immoderate parts of the United Kingdom compared to others, good that would beryllium a bully happening due to the fact that we’d person a much informed debate.”