Farmers hold tax protest on Humber Bridge

Farmers have taken part in a tractor run across the Humber Bridge to highlight their concerns about government proposals to change inheritance tax rules.

There were a series of events and protests held across the UK on Saturday co-ordinated by The National Farmers Union (NFU).

From April 2026 any inherited properties or land worth more than £1m or up to £3m in certain circumstances will be taxed at a rate of 20%.

A Government spokesperson said: "Our commitment to farmers remains steadfast."

Protests involving tractors were also held in Boston, Bourne and Long Sutton in Lincolnshire.

The government said the reforms would stop people buying agricultural land to avoid tax.

The NFU has urged the government to ditch what it described as a "devastating family farm tax".

Stephen Ridsdale, one of the organisers of the tractor run across the Humber Bridge, said his farm was a small family farm with 230 acres. Under the new rules he would have to pay £600,000 in inheritance tax.

"I've got an 82 year old father," he said, "and they've suddenly brought it in so he is trapped, or we are trapped, and there's no way we can get out of it."

"They really need to look at that elderly sector of farmers and see how they can maybe give them an amnesty or something."

Anna Longthorp, a farmer who also helped organise Saturday's event said: "It's not just farmers that this is going to affect.

"It's all the businesses that support farming, that supply into farming, that are customers of farming. It's a whole nation's food security."

"The vast majority of the public are behind us," she said, "they keep telling us to keep going."

A Government spokesperson said: "This Government will invest £5 billion into farming over the next two years, the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country's history.

"We are going further with reforms to boost profits for farmers by backing British produce and reforming planning rules on farms to support food production.

"Our reform to Agricultural and Business Property Relief will mean estates will pay a reduced effective inheritance tax rate of 20%, rather than standard 40%, and payments can be spread over 10 years, interest-free."

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