Behind the main Budget announcements, a few other matters of rural interest can be found.

The recently published details of forthcoming reforms to the tax treatment of Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHL) income, which were initially announced in the 2024 Budget but omitted from the Finance Bill, signal significant changes effective from the end of the 2024/5 tax year. These reforms, which were announced on 30 July, were confirmed as part of the 2024 Budget package.

Solar panels have dominated the renewable energy sector for many agricultural clients, often utilising unused roof space to provide clean and lower cost energy. This has been of particular importance in recent years with the large rise in energy costs, especially when farm buildings can be energy intensive. Energy storage can be expensive or not possible, meaning the peak energy generation often doesn’t align with the demands of the farm, such as for running cold stores over winter and spring. Wind turbines could be the solution.