Inheritance tax fears: NI farming families facing growing anxiety over future of family farms

Sunday 25 October 2026

Almost nine in ten farmers responding to an Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) survey say inheritance tax changes have increased stress or worry within their families, raising concerns about the emotional and financial pressures facing Northern Ireland’s farming community.

The findings reveal that 88.6% of respondents reported increased family stress or worry, with 60.3% describing the increase as significant.

The UFU says the uncertainty is forcing farming families into difficult conversations about their children's futures, financial security and whether farms built up over generations can be passed on.

Fears over the future of family farms

The union's A Budget to Back Farming membership research also found that 71.4% of respondents had become less confident about passing on a financially viable farm business.

Almost half (49.2%) said their intended successor had become less willing, less financially able, or both, to take over the family farm.

The findings highlight concerns about the future of family farming in Northern Ireland, where agricultural businesses are often passed between generations and represent both a family's livelihood and its long-term legacy.

The survey was conducted between 29 September and 12 October 2026 and examined financial confidence, investment, inheritance tax, succession and priorities for the Autumn Budget. The UFU has not specified the number of respondents in the information released.

A lifetime of work and an uncertain future

UFU president John McLenaghan said the figures demonstrate the human consequences of inheritance tax changes, warning that families are increasingly questioning whether the next generation will be able to afford to continue farming.

He said:

“Behind every locally produced food item on our shelves is a farming family worried about its future. These are parents who have spent their lives working to build a business for their children, now questioning whether they will be able to pass it on without leaving them with an enormous financial burden.

“Farming families already carry significant pressures, from rising costs and unpredictable markets to the demands of running a business that rarely stops. The additional uncertainty surrounding the April 2026 inheritance tax changes is placing further strain on families who simply want to secure a future for the next generation.

“No farming family should have to lie awake at night worrying that a lifetime of hard work could leave their children facing an impossible financial decision, particularly when they have been told for decades that they will not have a liability to pay”

The changes to agricultural and business property inheritance tax reliefs have prompted concerns within the farming industry about the potential tax liabilities facing families transferring agricultural businesses to the next generation.

The UFU argues that the consequences extend beyond financial planning, affecting relationships within families and potentially influencing whether younger generations choose to remain in farming.

Rural Support warns of growing emotional strain

The findings have also prompted concern from Rural Support, the Northern Ireland charity providing practical and emotional assistance to farmers and rural families.

Its director of programmes, Gyles Dawson, said the survey reflected the difficulties the organisation was hearing about directly from farming households across Northern Ireland.

He said:

“The UFU survey results reflect what Rural Support are hearing directly from farming families across Northern Ireland. The anxiety and strain caused by a range of uncertainties extend far beyond business balance sheets and productivity, they strike right at the heart of family dynamics, wellbeing, and mental health.

“Farming is a generational way of life in Northen Ireland, and when the future of a family legacy feels threatened, the emotional toll can be overwhelming, which leads to circumstances that can be difficult to unravel. We want farm families to know they do not have to carry this burden alone; Rural Support is here to offer practical guidance, a listening ear, and a safe, confidential space to help navigate these difficult conversations and circumstances.”

The charity is encouraging farming families experiencing anxiety, financial pressures or difficult conversations about succession to seek confidential assistance rather than face those challenges alone.

UFU calls for action in Autumn Budget

The UFU is urging the UK Government to recognise the emotional consequences of inheritance tax policy alongside concerns about farm investment, succession planning and the long-term viability of agricultural businesses.

Mr McLenaghan said the Chancellor must consider the survey findings when preparing the Autumn Budget.

“These findings cannot be dismissed as simply another concern about taxation. When almost nine in ten respondents report increased family stress or worry, Government must recognise the human consequences of its decisions. The Chancellor has an opportunity in the upcoming Budget to listen to farming families, respond to the evidence and restore confidence in the future of family farming. We need clear and decisive action at the Budget to relieve farm families of this financial and emotional toll.”

The survey reflects the experiences of UFU members who responded, rather than a representative measure of stress across every farming household in Northern Ireland. Nevertheless, the union believes the findings provide important evidence of the pressures facing families as they consider the future of their businesses.

Confidential help for farming families

Farmers and their families experiencing stress, anxiety, financial difficulties or concerns about succession can access free, confidential support through Rural Support.

• Telephone: 0800 138 1678

• Website: www.ruralsupport.org.uk

With the Autumn Budget approaching, the UFU is seeking changes that would ease the financial and emotional pressures identified by its members. For families already making decisions about passing on their farms, the uncertainty remains a pressing concern.