News, information and updates

The government have announced the immediate closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) as of yesterday (11th March 2025). The announcement came with no warning and marks a huge loss both for the farming industry and the environment. What you need to do right now We will continue to support clients who have existing SFI […]

Defra has announced the re-opening of the Capital Grants scheme, further grant funding for equipment, technology and innovation and increased funding for existing Higher Level Stewardship and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier. Capital Grants Any applications that were made and were placed on hold while the scheme was paused will now be considered and grants will […]

We are seeking an experienced Administration Officer/Office Manager to join our team at Carver Knowles. We are a small but busy team of Rural Land Agents/Chartered Surveyors. You will be assisting a team of Surveyors, Planners and Valuers and be responsible for supporting them in an administrative capacity. This role requires a blend of administrative […]

With the reduction of Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) to £1m per person, assets that were previously of less relevance such as livestock and deadstock, development or hope value and tenancy valuations are now a crucial part of the valuation process. In my previous blog posts, I reviewed how the valuation […]

Recently the Pershore and Upton Branch of the NFU hosted their annual farming conference, with the panellists giving their thoughts and experiences on the topic of Farming for Profit. A topic which is exceedingly relevant in these uncertain times. The first speaker of the evening was Rachel Hallos. Rachel is the new Vice President of […]

Over the past year we have had a great number of planning successes, in both agricultural planning applications and alternative enterprises. Agricultural Occupancy Conditions are planning conditions which restrict who can live at a property and can also significantly reduce the value of your property. At Carver Knowles we have great experience in regularising and […]

We have a number of clients who are concerned about the proposed Inheritance Tax changes to Agricultural Property and Business Property relief and wish to understand their possible tax liability and ways to reduce it. The proposed changes mean that all assets of the individual will need to be considered including livestock, plant and machinery, […]

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) now comprises 102 actions aimed at protecting and benefiting the environment alongside supporting food production and increasing farm productivity. A well thought out SFI agreement can bring in significant income and help to replace the money previously received under the Basic Payments Scheme. It can also increase the efficiency of […]

With the reduction of Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) to £1m per person, assets that were previously of less relevance such as livestock and deadstock, development or hope value and tenancy valuations are now a crucial part of the valuation process. In my last blog post, I reviewed how the valuation […]

  With the reduction of Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) to £1m per person, assets that were previously of less relevance such as livestock and deadstock, development or hope value and tenancy valuations are now a crucial part of the valuation process. In a series of blog posts, I will review […]