John Charlesworth, 78, was found dead in the barn of his 70-acre farm in Barnsley on Tuesday, 24 hours before the Budget

Pre-budget news predicting the tax raid – ending the practice of allowing farmers to pass on estates without inheritance tax – had ‘eaten away’ at him and was the ‘final straw’, his son said

The grandfather-of-six ran a 70-acre farm on the outskirts of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, which had been in his family since the 1950s

‘He’s totally destroying an industry we rely on.’

Mr Charlesworth jr said worries about the impact of inheritance tax was his father’s ‘main topic’ of conversation in recent weeks.

He added: ‘I didn’t think he’d do what he did. We’d discussed the potential impact of inheritance tax a lot. ‘We didn’t know what was going to come in or at what rate but over the last few weeks it’s been the main topic of conversation.’

Mr Charlesworth jr has been running the farm himself in recent years after his father devoted himself to caring for his dementia-stricken wife, Carolyn, 73.

‘If she’d gone into a home, it could have eaten up the farm in care costs and that’s why my father struggled with her,’ he said.

He added that he ‘can’t see this being the last’ time a farmer may choose to take their own life over the hated new policy.

Mr Charlesworth jr, who now looks after the 70-acre farm of sheep and cattle at Silkstone, in the Pennine foothills, himself, added: ‘This government has absolutely zero understanding of agriculture let alone how it works.

‘They think we’re just jumped-up millionaires riding around in Land Rovers but that’s not true.

‘This government have killed ambition in this country – what’s the point of doing well, building up a business, if it’s all going to be taken away?’

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced at the Budget on Wednesday that she would charge inheritance tax on agricultural estates worth over £1milllion, when previously they had been exempt.

Mr Charlesworth’s grieving son said Sir Keir Starmer has ‘got blood on his hands’ over his father’s death

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced at the Budget on Wednesday that she would charge inheritance tax on agricultural estates worth over £1milllion, when previously they had been exempt

Mr Charlesworth jr described the news as ‘the final straw’ for his father, who had been caring for his sick wife.

Mr Charlesworth jr first revealed the tragic news of his father’s death on an anonymous post on the British Farming Forum.

This was widely shared, but until yesterday it had not been confirmed as genuine.

He previously wrote in the post: ‘This morning I found my dad in the barn having taken his own life.

‘So afraid of the IHT implications on farms he took his own life rather than see the government take half the farm in IHT.

‘As a family, we are devastated and in shock! This is the human cost of government policy or potential government policy.

‘They claim to be for the working man, no man worked harder than dad. He increased the acreage from my grandad’s day and was proud of what he achieved.’

In the post, Mr Charlesworth jr also claimed they believed their father aimed to ‘beat the Budget by ending his life’ and that it is what happens when ‘you have built something your entire life and see it robbed from beneath your kids’ feet’.

He said the family did not make enough money to pay a large inheritance tax bill, nor would they be able to borrow it.

Amid calls for a French-style farmers’ protest in Westminster, Mr Charlesworth jr called on farmers to protest instead by withholding their produce.

He said: ‘My advice would be that all farmers had a week and didn’t sell anything. I think that would do more than any protest in London.’

Tom Bradshaw, President of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), said anger among farmers about the inheritance tax raid is ‘like I’ve never experienced before’ and said ‘many’ are considering drastic action.

Farmers are reportedly plotting a co-ordinated ‘sewage strike’ which would see them stop spreading sludge and biosolids – remains of human waste after liquid has been removed.

Experts say this could cause chaos for sewage and water companies as farmers in the UK take about 3.6 million tonnes of sewage sludge from water treatment plants and spread it on agricultural land.

Under plans announced at the Budget, inheritance tax will be charged at 20 per cent on farms worth more than £1 million

Withdrawing this effective way to get rid of sewage waste would force bosses to suddenly find somewhere new to dumps millions of tonnes of sewage.

The Government expects the new tax rules to raise an extra half a billion pounds by 2028/9.

The Treasury says just 27 per cent of farms will be affected, but the NFU says the true figure, based on analysis of DEFRA figures, is 66 per cent.

The new rules mean farmers can pass on £1 million of agricultural assets tax-free, in addition to exemptions for all inheritances – a £325,000 tax-free allowance, plus a further £175,000 for a main residence.

The Treasury argues this means most farmers can use all three and pass on £1.5 million of assets without tax – and if the farm is owned by a married couple, both are eligible for the exemptions. This would enable them to jointly pass on £3 million of assets.

However, critics have repeatedly warned that farming families who are asset-rich on paper will now not have enough money to cover the inheritance tax.