Regulations to reduce farmers’ delinked payments for 2025

The draft Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2025 set out the planned reductions in direct payments to farmers for 2025. The House of Lords is due to debate whether to approve the regulations on 30 April 2025. Concerns have been raised about the severity of the reductions for 2025 and the recent closure for new applications to the sustainable farming incentive scheme, which offered a route to alternative funding.

Regulations to reduce farmers’ delinked payments for 2025

Economic and planning policies: Impact on farming and rural communities

The government has announced various policies affecting farming and rural communities. Examples include the closure of the sustainable farming incentive, changes to inheritance tax relief and planning reforms set out in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Whilst some stakeholders have welcomed the plans, the government has faced strong opposition from the farming industry about the impact these policies could have on farm businesses and rural communities.

Economic and planning policies: Impact on farming and rural communities

  • In Focus

    Climate change: Supporting farmers and growers

    Extreme rainfall and flooding in 2023 and 2024 impacted farmers and affected the supply of some domestically grown food. It is predicted that future climatic changes could impact agriculture and domestic food production, presenting both risks and opportunities. This briefing examines how the government is supporting farmers and growers to adapt to climate change.

  • In Focus

    Budget tax measures: Context for the UK’s nations and regions

    Tax measures announced in the autumn 2024 budget included reforms to agricultural property relief for inheritance tax, changes to employer national insurance contributions and the extension of VAT to private school fees. This briefing provides some context to assess the potential economic impact of these measures on the nations and regions of the UK.

  • In Focus

    Biodiversity loss and climate change: Interdependent global challenges

    Nature and climate change are considered to be inextricably linked. Climate change is one of the drivers of biodiversity loss, along with factors including unsustainable food production and the overuse of natural resources. Nature is considered a key tool in combating rising global temperatures, for example forests and peatlands can play an important role in absorbing carbon emissions. This briefing summarises biodiversity loss, nature-based solutions to climate change and UK climate and nature policy.

  • In Focus

    The rural economy

    The rural economy in the UK is made up of a variety of different industries, including agriculture and tourism. Rural areas contribute a significant proportion of the UK’s economic output. However, figures for England indicate productivity in rural areas is lower when compared with urban areas. This briefing provides a summary of statistics on the rural economy and outlines some of the challenges for achieving economic growth.

  • In Focus

    Budget 2024: Inheritance tax, family farms and food security

    In the autumn budget the chancellor announced changes to inheritance tax reliefs. From April 2026, taxes would apply to agricultural assets over £1mn (or up to £3mn in certain circumstances). The government has said this would just affect the wealthiest landowners and disincentivise buying agricultural land to avoid tax. Farming groups have argued the policy is a threat to the future of family farming and the UK's food security.

  • In Focus

    Rural communities: Issues and support

    Rural areas and communities face a number of challenges compared to urban areas. These include transport difficulties, less choice over services, education and employment, and poor broadband or mobile phone coverage. Some surveys have suggested that many people, particularly younger people, are considering leaving rural communities as a result. This briefing summarises some of these challenges and the government policies seeking to address them.

  • Research Briefing

    Environmental Targets (Public Authorities) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 15(Rev) of 2024–25

    The Environmental Targets (Public Authorities) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill which would create a new requirement for public bodies specified in the bill to contribute towards meeting environmental targets established under the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Environment Act 2021. This would include requirements to contribute towards the UK’s target to meet net zero greenhouse gas emissions, improve the UK’s biodiversity and reduce pollution and waste.

  • In Focus

    Farming and flood prevention

    Farmers can help flood prevention. In England, farmers can receive payments for carrying out farming activities that support flood preparedness. The government also provides financial support to farmers impacted by severe flooding. A new Flood Resilience Taskforce has been launched to coordinate flooding preparation, as well as a Rural Flood Resilience Partnership to help farmers and rural communities build resilience to future flooding.

  • In Focus

    Protecting Atlantic salmon populations

    In recent years, concerns have been raised about declining populations of Atlantic salmon, with work taking place to address this issue. This briefing provides a summary of this policy area. It has been prepared ahead of Lord Forsyth of Drumlean’s (Conservative) 12 September 2024 debate on what steps the government is taking to protect Atlantic salmon populations.

  • In Focus

    Restoring 30% of England’s land and sea by 2030: House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee report

    In 2022, the Conservative UK government joined an international agreement committing it to restoring 30% of the UK’s land and sea by 2030. The new Labour government has also committed to this “30 by 30” target. In 2023, the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee reported that the UK was not on course to meet this target and offered several recommendations to the government on how this could be addressed.

  • Research Briefing

    Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill: HL Bill 64 of 2023–24

    The Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill is a private member’s bill sponsored by Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative). It would provide for the extension of the maximum lease available to the Zoological Society of London for land in Regent’s Park used by London Zoo. The House of Commons has passed the bill and it has cross-party support. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the bill at second reading on 10 May 2024.

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