THE UK GOVERNMENT has increased the inheritance tax relief threshold for farmers from £1 million to £2.5 million, following months of pressure from the agricultural sector and widespread protests across the country.

The change marks a significant retreat from reforms first announced in Labour’s initial Budget last year, which had proposed limiting full inheritance tax relief on agricultural and business assets to the first £1 million.

Under the revised plans, due to take effect from April, individuals will be able to pass on up to £2.5 million in qualifying agricultural or business assets without paying inheritance tax. For married couples and civil partners, the combined allowance will rise to £5 million.

Assets above that level will attract 50% relief, meaning an effective inheritance tax rate of up to 20%, rather than the standard 40%.

According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the revised threshold will reduce the number of estates affected by inheritance tax from around 2,000 under the original proposals to approximately 1,100, with the impact largely confined to the biggest farming operations.

The original plans sparked widespread anger within the farming community, including tractor protests outside Parliament, criticism from rural Labour MPs, and warnings from Baroness Minette Batters, the former NFU president, who said the proposals had caused severe distress among farming families.

Announcing the change, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said ministers had “listened closely” to concerns raised by farmers and rural businesses.

“Farmers are at the heart of our food security and environmental stewardship,” she said. “We are increasing the individual threshold from £1 million to £2.5 million, which means couples with estates of up to £5 million will now pay no inheritance tax.

“It is only right that larger estates contribute more, while we protect the family farms that underpin rural communities.”

The National Farmers’ Union welcomed the announcement. NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the move would be a “huge relief” for many farming families and acknowledged the pressure placed on elderly farmers by the original proposals.

In Wales, the change was also welcomed, though concerns remain about longer-term pressures on the sector.

The Welsh Deputy First Minister with responsibility for rural affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said the Welsh Government had repeatedly raised concerns with Westminster.

“Small and medium-sized family farms play a crucial role in Wales’ economy, culture and language,” he said. “We welcome this announcement and will continue discussions with farming unions and the UK Government on its impact here in Wales.”

Farmers’ Union of Wales president Ian Rickman described the move as a “welcome early Christmas present” after months of uncertainty.

“The initial proposals caused untold anxiety and damaged confidence across the rural economy,” he said. “While we remain frustrated by how these reforms were handled, the revised threshold provides much-needed relief at a difficult time for Welsh farming.”

Opposition parties, however, said the changes did not go far enough.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the move as a “huge U-turn” and said other family businesses remained exposed. Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick called the concession “hard won” but warned that many farms would still struggle financially, adding that his party would continue pushing for the tax to be scrapped entirely.

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said the climbdown did little to undo “a year of anxiety” for farmers, while Plaid Cymru’s Llyr Gruffydd MS said the episode highlighted “chaos” within the UK Government and accused ministers of causing unnecessary harm to family farms.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Farm Minister Samuel Kurtz said the policy shift came “too late”, adding that wider issues — including bovine TB, nitrate regulations and uncertainty over the Sustainable Farming Scheme — continued to place pressure on Welsh agriculture.

While the revised threshold has eased immediate concerns for many farming families, the debate over inheritance tax, farm succession and the long-term sustainability of British and Welsh agriculture is far from over.

CHANGES to rubbish and recycling collections will take place across Pembrokeshire over the Christmas and New Year period, Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed.

According to County Councillor Vivien Stoddart, there will be no waste or recycling collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day.

Posting on Facebook, Cllr Stoddart said the changes were necessary due to the public holidays and urged residents to take note of the revised dates.

She said: “There will be some changes to rubbish and recycling collections over Christmas and New Year.

“There will be no waste and recycling collections on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December), Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) or New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January).

“Collections due on Christmas Day will instead be collected two days later on Saturday (December 27).

“Collections due on Boxing Day will be collected two days later on Sunday (December 28).

“New Year’s Day collections, due on Thursday (January 1), will be collected two days later on Saturday (January 3).”

Residents are being advised to ensure bins are presented by 6:30am on the revised collection days and to leave them out until they are emptied.

Pembrokeshire County Council has also reminded householders that collection schedules can be checked online for individual addresses.

A POWERFUL real-world event that shocked the nation is being brought to the stage by Torch Youth Theatre in a new production inspired by the felling of the famous Sycamore Gap tree.

The iconic sycamore, which stood beside Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland and featured in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, made international headlines in 2023 after it was illegally cut down. Believed to be one of the UK’s most recognisable trees, its destruction caused widespread anger and disbelief.

That moment now forms the starting point for Sycamore Gap, Torch Youth Theatre’s spring production, sponsored by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Set on the morning after the tree has been felled, the play centres on a group of young people from a secondary school eco-club. As questions swirl around what happened and who is responsible, tensions rise. Friendships are tested, long-held grudges emerge and the group finds itself racing against time — and the police — to uncover the truth.

As the story unfolds, the young characters wrestle with suspicion, blame and moral responsibility, all while navigating the pressures of modern teenage life. The play mixes mystery with sharp humour and wordplay, asking whether the eco-club is really getting to the root of the problem — or barking up the wrong tree.

The production follows a run of successful Torch Youth Theatre shows, including The Bangers and Chips Explosion, Ravers and The Wind in the Willows.

Tim Howe, Torch Theatre’s senior manager for youth and community, said he was excited to begin rehearsals.

“We’re really pleased to be partnering with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park on this production, and we cannot wait to bring this story to life,” he said. “Anyone who has seen Torch Youth Theatre productions will know they celebrate young people and everything they are capable of.”

He added that the new play tackles some of the biggest issues facing young people today.

“This is a fearless piece of theatre,” Tim said. “It links environmental activism with cancel culture and explores how teenagers are grappling with toxic masculinity and power structures. Our young people are already having fierce and essential conversations about these themes, and they’re eager to bring them to the stage.”

Looking ahead, Torch Youth Theatre has also announced a second major production for 2026.

“The Sycamore Gap tree isn’t the only Robin Hood connection we’ll be sharing next year,” Tim said. “In July, all of our youth theatre members will perform a brand-new version of Robin Hood, written especially for them. It promises to be an epic adventure.”

Torch Youth Theatre presents Al Smith’s Sycamore Gap this February as part of the National Theatre’s NT Connections programme.

Sycamore Gap will be performed at the Torch Theatre from Wednesday (Feb 25) to Friday (Feb 27), 2026. Tickets are priced at £10, with concessions at £8.

The Robin Hood production will run from July 20 to July 22, 2026, with tickets going on sale in the spring.

For more information, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or contact the box office on (01646) 695267.