Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has welcomed rumours that the Prime Minister is considering changes to the controversial inheritance tax reforms, saying any move to revisit the policy would be welcomed by farmers across the UK.

The DUP Agriculture spokesperson confirmed there is mounting speculation that Andy Burnham is revisiting the inheritance tax measures introduced by his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer, and former Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Ms Lockhart said: “There seems to be growing speculation that the Prime Minister is looking again at Labour’s deeply damaging inheritance tax changes. Any move to reconsider or u-turn on the current policy, would certainly be significant and very welcome.

“Andy Burnham has over 100 Labour MPs representing rural communities across Great Britain. Those MPs will be hearing directly from farming families about the impact and concerns surrounding the changes introduced in April.

“Scrapping the current APR and BPR reforms, and restoring the Government’s historic relief arrangements, would be a significant step for family farming and everyone who fought and campaigned against the measures.”

The MP also noted that changing the current £2.5 million threshold to £5 million per person, would represent a significant improvement for family farms, particularly in Northern Ireland.

She said: “Our farms are not on the same sizeable scale as the majority of mainland holdings, but land values in Northern Ireland drive up the value of farm assets. Local farmers are predominately asset rich but cash poor, with the value of their working farm tied up in land, buildings and machinery rather than available as cash to meet a tax liability.

“Farmers should not be placed in a position where they have to consider selling productive land or dismantling a viable family business simply to meet inheritance tax commitments.”

Under the reforms which came into effect on 6 April 2026, 100% Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief is available on the first £2.5 million of qualifying agricultural and business property, with assets above that threshold receiving relief at 50%. The £2.5 million allowance can be transferred between spouses or civil partners in certain circumstances.

Carla Lockhart added: “The increase from the original £1 million proposal to £2.5 million was welcome, but it does not resolve the fundamental concerns surrounding the policy’s current format.

“These are working farms, not passive investments. They are businesses that produce food, employ people, support local economies and sustain rural communities, often having been built up over several generations.”

“The new Prime Minister has come under pressure from industry stakeholders and politicians to seriously reconsider the ‘farm death tax’ ahead of the autumn budget,” she said.

The MP continued: “The Government needs to recognise that food security is national security. Encouraging investment, succession and continued food production should be at the heart of agricultural policy, rather than creating uncertainty for families trying to hand a viable farm on to the next generation."



“If there is substance to the circulating reports, the Prime Minister needs to make it clear that he has heard the concerns shared by thousands of farming families."

“Family farms have been built over decades. They are part of the fabric of our rural communities and a vital part of our domestic food supply.”

“The Government should be supporting the next generation to take on these farm enterprises and rural businesses, not creating additional barriers to succession,” concluded Ms Lockhart.