Farmers pushed to the brink due to Labour’s plan to hike inheritance tax are calling a suicide support service in record numbers.

       The Farm Safety Foundation saw a year-on-year 55% leap in demand for its counselling services and a 13% increase in calls to its crisis support line in 2024.

       And demand for its services increased again after Labour unveiled plans to hike inheritance tax on family farms, including from young farmers seeking support.

       In a heartbreaking admission, Daniel Boomer, 22, a beef farmer from Northern Ireland, described the suffocating pressures that agricultural workers face.

       “It’s a pressure cooker,” he said. “Everything’s just boiling and busting, and something will break at some point. I’ve been very close to taking my own life.

       “I knew I had to speak to someone about it because it was really hurting me every day. And every day it gets heavier and heavier.” He now serves as an ambassador for The Farm Safety Foundation, a charity dedicated to addressing the mental health struggles that too often go unseen in the farming community.

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       While farming can be a source of “pride”, the ongoing pressures - such as the proposed inheritance tax - weigh heavily.

       “It’s really affected people’s mental health because it’s that constant. It’s that weight on your chest every day,” Daniel explained.

       He added how farmers feel misrepresented by Government portrayals that paint them as “rich landlords” with “millions of pounds,” a narrative he says is far from reality.

       Stephanie Berkeley, the manager at The Farm Safety Foundation, is desperately calling on Labour to provide better services to farmers in distress.

       “We need to ease the pressure off farming charities, who are relied upon to support those when they get into crisis,” she said, expressing the urgency of the situation.

       “Farming charities that have helplines are receiving an increased number of calls because farmers actually leave it quite late until they’re in a crisis situation before they reach out for help.”

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       In 2018, the Farm Safety Foundation launched the Mind Your Head campaign, which has grown in prominence year after year. This year, the campaign ran from February 10-14, during which The Prince of Wales joined a roundtable discussion hosted by the charity.

       Research has shown farmers’ mental wellbeing has steadily declined over the last four years, coinciding with rising economic pressures and policy changes.

       The charity stresses the importance of early intervention, urging farmers to recognise the signs of struggle before reaching a crisis point.

       Rural isolation is a reality for farmers, compounded by the gruelling hours they work. The average UK farmer works 60 hours a week, with nearly half of those aged between 41 and 60 putting in more than 81 hours.

       The inheritance tax issue has ignited a broader conversation about the toll these challenges take on farmers’ mental and financial wellbeing.

       Matt Styles, a farmer and contractor from Wales, knows this pain all too well. After years of building up his farm from just three sheep, Matt was forced to sell due to financial strain.

       “The last five, six years have been building up resilience to what has probably been the most challenging five years of my life,” he said. “There’s been no break or no respite from the constant challenges.”

       A survey by the Farm Safety Foundation of 750 farmers found that an overwhelming 91% agree that poor mental health is the “biggest hidden problem” facing the industry.

       Matt also rejects the stereotype of wealthy farmers.

       “Actual farmers, like myself, rock around in knackered old pickup trucks and holey clothes,” he said.

       After losing his farm, Matt faces an uncertain future. The proposed inheritance tax looms large, threatening the viability of his family’s generational farm.

       “You can’t sell off a bit of land to pay the tax, then the farm’s not viable because you haven’t got enough land to make it viable,” Matt said.

       “There’s not enough income in the farm’s general day-to-day profit and income each year to pay the tax either.”

       After struggling with his own mental health, Matt sought help from the Farm Safety Foundation and found the support he needed. Today, he serves as an ambassador for the charity, offering hope to others in similar situations.

       Despite the hardships, he remains steadfast in his love for farming.

       “Farming is a lifestyle more than a job,” he said. “Despite all the hardship, the fatigue, the long hours, and the unsociable hours, it’s relentless, but I’m addicted to it.

       “The easiest thing to do to keep yourself above the water is to force yourself to be positive. Otherwise, I’m going to fall into a pit and not be able to pull myself out of it,” Matt added.

       Stephanie has called for urgent action from the Government, emphasising the need for suicide prevention initiatives.

       She added: “It’s clear that farmers are fighting to preserve their livelihoods and our food independence. They need to use accurate evidence when making decisions,” she said.

       “Many in the industry feel betrayed by the party that stood up at the conference as leader of the Opposition and pledged that if they were elected, they would listen, they would respect farming voices, they’d offer stability, they’d offer certainty. They need to tackle why so many in the rural communities are struggling.”

       For these farmers, their connection to the land is not just a profession; it’s a deeply ingrained way of life. But with mounting financial pressures and increasing mental health struggles, it’s clear that the farming community needs more support from the Government.

       If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Samaritans for free, even from a mobile without credit, at any time of the day or night on 116 123. Alternatively, email: jo@samaritans.org