The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is hosting a series of free events to help farmers understand and respond to key announcements from the recent Autumn Budget. These sessions are designed to offer practical advice, particularly regarding proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), which could affect inheritance tax.
The events will take place across Yorkshire, starting on Monday, 28 April, at Farmer Copleys in Pontefract, followed by Tuesday, 29 April, at Driffield Showground, Wednesday, 30 April, at The Huntsman Inn in Holmfirth, and Thursday, 1 May, at The Golden Lion in Northallerton. Each event will open at 6.30pm with a bar, followed by hot food at 7pm, and presentations with a Q&A session running from 7.30 to 9.30pm. Attendees are required to register in advance.
The sessions will feature a range of experts. Duncan Winspear from Savills will provide insights into assessing business strengths and weaknesses, and strategies for maximising income while managing risk. Chris Humphreys from BHP Accountants will focus on planning tax affairs amid economic and political uncertainty, emphasising mitigating the impact of changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Unspent Pension Funds.
Legal experts Orlando Bridgeman and Lucy Hargreaves from Wrigleys Solicitors will discuss inheritance tax, highlighting the likelihood of increased lifetime gifts to avoid death duties. They will also address issues of business control, protection against divorce or irresponsible family members, and succession planning when the next generation is not yet ready to take over.
Heather Wildman of Saviour Associates will explore how the proposed policy changes affect succession planning and offer strategies for future-proofing farm businesses.
