Bedfordshire farmer 'already affected' by inheritance tax due to impact on mental health
The Cheadle family estimate they will face an 'unpayable' £300,000 inheritance tax bill
Last updated 17th Nov 2025
A farmer from Bedfordshire says every farmer is already being affected by the planned inheritance tax changes, due to the mental stress of possibly losing their livelihoods.
The reforms to Agriculture Property Relief were announced by Rachel Reeves in the last budget, meaning taxes will apply to assets over £1m, or up to £3m in certain circumstances.
The Cheadle family has been farming in Odell, Bedfordshire for more than 70 years. Brian Cheadle, 84, had planned for his son, Mark, to continue working their small family farm.
Mark Cheadle worries this will not be possible due to the government’s planned changes to inheritance tax, which are due to come into effect in April next year.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, Mark said: “Literally every conversation we've had as a family in the last year, has been about my parents dying.
“It's forced us to talk about the impact of it, and that grieving process has already begun while they're still alive.
“So, when the government say that the vast majority of farmers are not going to be impacted by this policy, I would say every farmer has already been affected - particularly from a mental wellbeing point of view.”
The government has previously said this would just affect the wealthiest landowners and disincentivise buying agricultural land to avoid tax.
The Cheadle family’s accountants estimate they will be facing a £300,000 inheritance tax bill, to be paid over 10 years at £30,000 a year.
However, the farm has made an average pre-tax profit of just over £15,000 a year for the last 10 years.
Mr Cheadle says the tax bill will mean the farm is “unviable” and “leaves little choice but to sell the farm”.
He said: “It makes me feel quite sad that we're having to think about selling up the farm and the impact that is not just on us as a family, but it impacts the community.
“We're trying to improve our food security in this country. People like my grandfather farmed the land at times of rationing, when we needed to have more food.
“It just feels like the last 75 years that we've been in the village and all of the hard work we’ve done is just in effect being pulled underneath us, saying that we can't continue our vocation in life. I'm going to have to find a different way forward in the future.”
An HM Treasury spokesperson said: “We’re backing British farms with £1 million Annual Investment Allowance for plant and machinery investments, billions for sustainable food, and action to cut EU export costs.
“Right now 40% of Agricultural Property Relief – worth £219m - goes to just 117 estates. Our reforms will channel that funding into vital public services.”