Joint Statement from Confor, CLA and RFS

The report highlights several themes:

• Only around one third of respondents believe they will not be affected by the changes, with almost half expecting to be affected and others remaining uncertain. 
• Nearly 60% of respondents say they are now less likely to create new woodland, directly conflicting with Government woodland creation ambitions. 
• Many respondents are considering earlier timber harvesting, selling woodland, altering succession arrangements or reducing future investment in woodland management. 
• The survey reinforces that forestry is often a high-value but low‑income asset, with standing timber creating capital value but generating irregular and long‑term returns. 
• Family-owned woodland and mixed estates appear particularly vulnerable, with risks of fragmentation, earlier felling and reduced long-term management. 
• The evidence suggests potential impacts on domestic timber supply, carbon storage, nature recovery and continuous cover forestry. 

On behalf of our members, Confor, CLA and RFS are now formally engaging with HM Treasury, with Defra and the Forestry Commission copied into discussions. 

The survey report has been shared with officials to support a constructive dialogue, building on earlier correspondence and acknowledging the concession already made by Government in raising the APR/BPR threshold. 

A particular area identified for discussion is whether a reformed Woodlands Relief could be a solution for mitigating unintended impacts on woodland creation, timber supply and nature recovery. The report outlines a potential approach that would treat woodland land and timber as a single asset and defer inheritance tax until woodland is sold, while still ensuring tax is paid if value is ultimately realised. 

We believe this could be a realistic solution for protecting long-term woodland management and family ownership.