Families in rural Britain are scrambling to protect their savings as fears over looming inheritance tax changes grow.
Many are rethinking how to pass on wealth to the next generation without falling foul of proposed tax reforms.
One popular solution has been a surge in new stocks and shares Junior Individual Savings Accounts (Junior ISAs).
NFU Mutual, the UK’s leading rural insurer, reported a 115 per cent rise in new Junior ISAs opened in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Additional contributions to existing Junior ISAs have also nearly doubled, reflecting the scale of the shift in financial planning across farming and countryside households.
This is one of the biggest rises in Junior ISA take-up that the rural-focused provider has ever seen.
The amount of money being invested has also jumped sharply. The average amount put into new Junior ISAs has increased from £2,400 to £4,100. Top-up payments into existing accounts have grown too, rising from £2,700 to £3,900.
The figures show that rural families are committing more money to these tax-friendly accounts as they brace for possible inheritance tax changes.
The spike in Junior ISA activity comes in response to the Government’s 2024 autumn Budget, which outlined sweeping IHT reforms.
Britons are concerned about the rising tax burdenGETTYAmong the most significant proposals are changes to agricultural property relief and a plan to count unspent private pension wealth as part of an estate for IHT purposes from April 2027.
Families are putting in bigger lump sums and topping up with higher amounts, seeing Junior ISAs not just as simple savings pots for children, but as a serious way to protect family wealth.
David Nottingham, personal finance expert at NFU Mutual, explained the motivation behind this trend.
He said: "More and more of our rural customer base are turning to junior ISAs with parents and grandparents using them as a tax-efficient way to invest for a child's future, particularly as they are considering the implications of proposed inheritance tax changes."
Thousands of farmers have protested at Westminster against the changes
GETTYParents and grandparents are actively seeking ways to transfer wealth to younger generations whilst minimising potential tax liabilities.
This approach reflects a broader shift in financial planning priorities amongst farming families facing uncertainty over future inheritance tax obligations.
The harsher inheritance tax reforms are set to take effect from April 2026, prompting many rural families to act well in advance.
The impending changes have created urgency amongst farming communities to implement wealth protection strategies before the new rules come into force.
The timeline gives families less than a year to adjust their financial planning and take advantage of current tax arrangements.
The timeframe appears to be driving the accelerated uptake of Junior ISAs as families seek to transfer assets to younger generations under existing regulations.
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