Key's CEO, Will Hale comments on today's IHT data

21 August 2025

Will Hale, CEO of Key Advice & Air, regarding today's IHT figures from HMRC

Today’s numbers show another month-on-month rise in IHT receipts. This continues a significant upward trend, with receipts increasing by more than 50% over the past five years and 2025 set to be a record year in terms of taxes raised through this mechanism.

Furthermore, announcements around the inclusion of pension funds within the IHT regime, musings around the potential for a limit to be applied on lifetime gifting and continued house price inflation means that the government is looking at death as key focus for boosting public finances moving forward.

Many people who would fall beneath the traditional definition of ‘high-net worth’ are now sleep-walking into a situation where their estates will be subject to significant IHT charges. It is therefore imperative that families seek specialist advice and that this advice includes a consideration of all options for reducing the IHT liability – including modern later life lending solutions such as lifetime mortgages.