Farming remains Britain's deadliest industry after rise in fatalities

Farming has once again been named Britain’s deadliest industry after 33 agricultural workers lost their lives in the past year alone.

The sharp rise in farm deaths has prompted renewed warnings over safety across the sector, with industry leaders describing the situation as “horrific” and warning fatalities are becoming “far too common”.

Despite employing just 1% of the UK workforce, agriculture accounts for around 20% of all workplace deaths nationwide.

The fatal injury rate in farming is estimated to be 22 times higher than the average across other industries.

Industry leaders warned the situation had become deeply alarming, with one member of the farming community dying almost every week in recent months.

“We have sadly lost a member of the farming community every week for the last couple of months,” Jill Hewitt, chief executive of the National Association of Agricultural Contractors, told Farmers Weekly.

“This is horrific, shocking and becoming far too common.”

The latest figures cover the period between April 2025 and April 2026 and represent a significant increase on the previous year, when 23 deaths were recorded across farming, forestry and fishing in Britain.

Since the start of April this year alone, six agricultural workers have already lost their lives in workplace incidents.

One worker died after a raised trailer collapsed, while another suffered fatal injuries while repairing a cattle gate.

The Health and Safety Executive says vehicles remain the leading cause of fatal farm accidents, accounting for around 30% of deaths.

Other major causes include machinery incidents, livestock attacks — particularly involving cattle — crushing accidents involving collapsing loads or falling bales, and falls from height.

Despite years of awareness campaigns, the fatal injury rate in agriculture has shown little meaningful long-term improvement and has repeatedly been described by regulators as “stubbornly high”.

Industry leaders say farming presents unique dangers because many workers operate alone in isolated locations where emergency help may be miles away.

Self-employed farmers, who frequently work without direct supervision, accounted for around 65% of fatal injuries between 2019 and 2024.

Older farmers remain particularly vulnerable, with workers aged over 60 accounting for almost half of all fatalities.

Children also continue to face risks on farms, especially around vehicles and machinery.

Two young people died in separate all-terrain vehicle incidents during 2024/25, reinforcing warnings over the importance of supervision and farm vehicle safety.

While Britain has seen a rise in agricultural workplace deaths, Northern Ireland recorded a slight fall in fatalities during 2025/26, with three deaths compared with five the previous year.

Despite years of safety campaigns and awareness efforts, farming continues to record some of the highest workplace death rates in Britain — a reality industry leaders warn cannot become accepted as normal.