Farmers from Romney Marsh have joined the growing outcry across the South East, warning that government plans to change inheritance tax rules threaten to devastate their livelihoods and centuries-old farming traditions.
Described as a “ticking time bomb,” the changes, due to take effect in April 2026, would see inherited agricultural assets over £1 million, previously exempt, taxed at 20%. For many Romney Marsh farmers, who are land-rich but cash-poor, this could mean selling family farmland to pay the tax bill, potentially crippling local agriculture.
Farmers from the area were among hundreds who traveled to London this week to take part in a rally outside Parliament, alongside 1,800 National Farmers’ Union (NFU) members. The protest emphasized the critical threat posed by the new tax rules, which many argue will disproportionately impact family farms in areas like Romney Marsh.
One local farmer near Romney Marsh, said her family faces losing not just their land, but their way of life. “If my parents pass away, I’d have to sell the farm to pay the inheritance tax,” she said. “That would take away from my children the lifestyle I enjoyed growing up. We’re not earning loads of money and buying flashy cars – everything goes back into the animals and the feed.”
Tim Porter, a farmer based close to the Marsh, said the changes reflect a lack of understanding about farming businesses. “To maintain a farm for younger generations is going to be very difficult with this tax hanging over us,” he said. “Land prices are high, but that doesn’t mean we have piles of cash lying around.”
Farmers in Romney Marsh, famed for its centuries-old grazing lands and sheep farming, fear the tax will trigger a ripple effect across the local economy. “Farming here isn’t just a business, it’s the backbone of our community,” said Annie Brown, a third-generation farmer near the Marsh. “The new tax rules are like a ticking time bomb under us.”
The Marsh has long been synonymous with farming, its fertile land supporting sheep farming traditions that date back to medieval times. However, local farmers warn the inheritance tax could sever these ties to the past.
Frank Langrish, whose family has farmed near Rye since 1912, believes the proposed tax changes will leave farms like his unable to continue. “My son would be left with a bill of over a million pounds,” he said. “We’d have to sell land just to pay it, which would leave the farm unviable. For areas like Romney Marsh, it would be the end of family-run farms.”
For many farmers, the thought of selling their land—often passed down through generations—is unbearable. “We are the stewards of this landscape,” said Nellie Budd, whose family has farmed sheep on Romney Marsh for decades. “To lose this land would mean losing a piece of our identity.”
Farmers at the protest urged the government to rethink its plans, calling for a reversal of the tax changes. Paula Matthews, a tenant farmer from the South East, pointed out discrepancies between government figures. “The Treasury has it wrong. Defra’s [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] numbers don’t match theirs. This will hit far more family farms than they realize,” she said.
Government Response
The government has downplayed the concerns, with Rural Affairs Minister Daniel Zeichner insisting “the vast majority” of farms will not be affected and urging farmers to “look calmly” at the proposals. However, this has done little to reassure the farming community on Romney Marsh, where farmers say their future looks increasingly uncertain.
As rising costs, volatile weather, and market pressures already strain their businesses, many Romney Marsh farmers view the inheritance tax changes as a tipping point. “It’s not just a tax,” said Tim Porter. “It’s a direct threat to the survival of family farms in Romney Marsh and the traditions we’ve upheld for generations.”