IHT concerns causing significant family disputes

While the Welsh farming industry has been cautiously upbeat about the recently launched Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), mental health charity the DPJ Foundation says concerns over changes to inheritance tax policies are biting.

With the draft legislation for the Finance Bill laid on Monday (21 July), farming unions on both sides of the border have urged the Treasury to reconsider the policy.

The DPJ Foundation has now also highlighted that the pressure to address succession is having a negative impact on farming families.

See also: IHT reforms will break up Britain’s family farms, MPs warn

“In some cases, succession discussions have gone wrong, or there have been quite significant fallouts in families,” said Kate Miles, DPJ Foundation manager.

The root cause, she said, was at times down to families feeling pressurised into having the conversation and it being rushed.

“These conversations have happened more quickly than the pace that people are comfortable with, and that’s led to divisions,” she told Farmers Weekly at the Royal Welsh Show.

Kate Miles © MAG/Anne Dunn

The fallout has significant consequences for relationships.

“When those splits happen, they have a real impact on mental health and relationships and our relationships are vital to everything we do.

“If a relationship breaks down on the farm, then it’s also the home, it’s also the business.

“There are so many things that feed into it, not least that identity of being a farmer and that being at risk,” added Ms Miles.

New therapy

The DPJ Foundation stand is located opposite the Welsh government pavilion on the showground and farmers are encouraged to speak to the team if they need help and are encouraged to join the wellbeing journey.

Those visiting the stand can try out a new VR headset, which is being developed for Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and forms part of a new pilot project run in conjunction with Herefordshire-based “We are Farming Minds”.

The DPJ Foundation is looking for about 25 farmers to take part in the small trial.