The latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures, published in July 2025, confirm what many in the rural sector have long known: agriculture remains one of the most dangerous industries in Great Britain.
The 2024/25 reporting year saw 23 worker fatalities in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, a number consistent with the five-year average. While construction accounted for a slightly higher total number of deaths, the fatality rate in agriculture is 22 times higher than the average across all sectors.
This data continues to reflect the acute risk environment faced by farms, estates, and rural businesses.
Key Statistics
The 2025 HSE report identifies several enduring trends within agriculture:
- Agriculture (23 deaths) and construction (35 deaths) together accounted for nearly half (47%) of all work-related fatalities.
- Falls from height, contact with moving vehicles, and being struck by objects remain the leading causes of fatal accidents.
- Older workers are at significantly higher risk: 40% of fatalities occurred among individuals aged 60 and above.
- Self-employed workers, who comprise approximately 15% of the rural workforce, represented 40% of all fatalities, highlighting a key vulnerability in smaller and informal operations.
These figures underscore the continued importance of structured risk management and effective legal and insurance protection across the sector.
Specialist Cover for Rural Businesses
Rural Protect has been designed specifically to address the risk landscape of the countryside. It offers legal protection for those working in rural businesses, including all those listed in our ‘Rural Protect isn’t just for farms; it protects other rural businesses too’ blog here.
It is a comprehensive and modern insurance solution that extends well beyond traditional Legal Expenses cover, and offers protection against a wide range of sector-specific risks, including:
- Allegations of negligence or breach of duty
- Health and safety investigations or prosecutions
- Injury claims from members of the public, contractors or employees
- Environmental liability and regulatory compliance
- Monetary losses as a result of fraud
- And more
The policy includes access to legal expertise, helping rural clients navigate complex claims and investigations with confidence.
Read our ‘Reasons to consider Rural Protect’ here.
Rural Protect Case Studies
Recent case studies illustrate how the product has provided essential support in real-world incidents:
1. Legal Defence: Working Dog Injures Member of Public
- Situation: A working farm dog caused injury to a member of the public.
- Challenge: The farmer faced potential legal action and liability, including legal costs and reputational risk.
- Outcome: Rural Protect’s legal defence cover provided professional legal representation, managing the case and preventing outofpocket expenses for the farmer.
- Read the full case study here: Rural Protect Case Study: Legal Defence After Working Dog Injures Member Of Public
2. Telescopic Handler Accident
- Situation: A farm employee was involved in a workplace accident while operating a telescopic handler.
- Challenge: The incident triggered an in-depth investigation by the HSE, risk of regulatory penalties, and possible personal injury or enforcement claims.
- Outcome: Rural Protect’s support covered investigation costs, coordinated legal advice under regulatory confidentiality, and helped resolve the matter, mitigating extended legal or financial exposure.
- Read the full case study here: Rural Protect Case Study: Investigation Into A Workplace Accident Involving A Telescopic Handler
3. Delayed Sheep Inspection
- Situation: A farm did not promptly schedule a requested official inspection of its sheep, as required by the Agriculture & Rural Economy Directorate.
- Challenge: This led to movement restrictions on livestock and a reduction of agricultural subsidies.
- Outcome: Rural Protect assisted appealing against subsidy reduction, and enabling movement restrictions to be lifted by using expert advisors
- Read the full case study here: Rural Protect Case Study: Farm Faces Subsidy Reduction Due To Inspection Scheduling Challenges
These examples, drawn from real claims, demonstrate how tailored insurance solutions can mitigate the serious financial and reputational risks associated with general day to day agricultural work.
Further case studies and insights are available on our News webpage here.
Moving from Risk to Resilience
The agricultural industry operates in an environment of heightened scrutiny and regulatory oversight. The HSE’s latest statistics reinforce the need for:
- Ongoing health and safety training
- Documented risk assessments across all work activities
- Appropriate controls for work at height, machinery use, and livestock handling
- Awareness of liability exposure, particularly for self-employed and contract-based arrangements
- A robust insurance and legal protection framework, especially for those providing advice, consultancy or professional services within the sector
Proactive Legal Support and Risk Management Included with Rural Protect
As part of the Rural Protect policy, clients receive complimentary access to rradar, a specialist litigation and commercial law firm that combines legal expertise with cutting-edge digital tools. Their service is designed to educate, guide, and protect farming businesses against the complex legal and regulatory risks that are increasingly common in the rural sector.
As well, policyholders gain exclusive access to rradar’s digital tools and expert support services, designed to help rural businesses manage legal, regulatory and operational risks more effectively.
Clients can easily activate their rradar account and receive a welcome pack introducing three key platforms:
- rradarstation – A comprehensive online legal and risk management resource, offering downloadable templates, guidance notes, policies, and toolkits on issues such as employment law, health and safety, regulatory compliance, contracts, and more.
- rradargrace – An AI-powered legal assistant that provides instant answers to legal questions 24/7, helping clients make informed decisions and stay compliant without delay.
- rradarreport – A streamlined platform for reporting incidents or emerging issues, giving early access to legal advisors before a matter escalates into a costly dispute or formal claim. It’s an on-line accident book that you’ll never forget where you left it and accessible to all employees should the client so wish.
Supporting Safer, Smarter Rural Practice
As the rural sector evolves to meet environmental, economic and social challenges, safety and risk management must remain a core part of operational resilience. The HSE’s 2025 figures show that despite improvements in awareness, the risks remain high, particularly for older and self-employed workers.
Rural Protect provides more than just cover, it offers practical tools for managing risk, responding to incidents, and maintaining compliance with complex regulatory obligations.
For brokers seeking to strengthen their risk offering to rural clients, find out more about Rural Protect here, or contact the HB Underwriting team on 01653 609090 or at enquiries@hbunderwriting.co.uk.
