Protecting your estate from unnecessary Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a growing concern for ordinary British homeowners — and rightly so. With the nil rate band frozen at £325,000 since 2009 and average house prices in England now sitting around £290,000, more families than ever are being caught by a tax that was once reserved for the genuinely wealthy.
According to HMRC statistics, in the tax year 2021 to 2022, 4.39% of UK deaths resulted in an Inheritance Tax charge — an increase of 0.66 percentage points from the previous year. That percentage has continued to climb as property values rise while the tax-free threshold remains frozen, confirmed until at least April 2031.
Below, we explore these inheritance tax statistics in detail and explain what they mean for you, your family, and your home. If you’re concerned about your estate’s exposure to IHT, our specialist team at MP Estate Planning can help you understand your options and take practical steps to protect your legacy.
Key Takeaways
- The percentage of estates liable for IHT has risen steadily — driven primarily by the frozen nil rate band and rising property values.
- The nil rate band of £325,000 has not increased since April 2009 and is frozen until at least April 2031 — a stealth tax on ordinary homeowners.
- A married couple can potentially shield up to £1,000,000 from IHT by combining nil rate bands and the Residence Nil Rate Band — but only with proper planning.
- Proactive planning using lifetime trusts, gifts, and available reliefs can significantly reduce your family’s IHT exposure.
- Specialist guidance is essential — the law, like medicine, is broad. You wouldn’t want your GP performing surgery, and inheritance tax planning deserves the same level of expertise.
Understanding Inheritance Tax in the UK
Inheritance Tax is one of the most misunderstood areas of UK law. Many people assume it only affects the wealthy, or that a simple will is enough to protect their family. In reality, the frozen thresholds mean that a growing number of ordinary homeowners now face a potential 40% tax bill on their estate. Understanding how IHT works is the essential first step to protecting what you’ve spent a lifetime building.
What is Inheritance Tax?
Inheritance Tax is a tax levied on the estate of someone who has died, encompassing their property, savings, investments, and possessions. It’s charged at 40% on the value of the estate above the nil rate band of £325,000. This threshold has been frozen since 6 April 2009 — over 16 years without any increase — and is confirmed frozen until at least April 2031. That means while house prices have risen dramatically, the point at which IHT kicks in has stayed exactly the same, pulling more families into the net every year.
Current Inheritance Tax Rates
The standard Inheritance Tax rate is 40%, applied only to the portion of the estate exceeding the nil rate band of £325,000. A reduced rate of 36% applies where 10% or more of the net estate is left to qualifying charities. For example, if an estate is valued at £425,000, the tax is calculated on the £100,000 above the threshold, resulting in a liability of £40,000 at the standard rate.
| Estate Value | Tax Rate | Tax Liability |
|---|---|---|
| £325,000 or less | 0% | £0 |
| £425,000 | 40% | £40,000 |
How Inheritance Tax is Calculated
Calculating Inheritance Tax involves establishing the total value of the estate — including property, savings, investments, life insurance payouts (unless written in trust), pensions (from April 2027, inherited pensions will also become liable for IHT), and personal possessions. Debts and liabilities are deducted, and then the nil rate band (£325,000) and any available Residence Nil Rate Band (up to £175,000) are subtracted. The 40% rate applies to whatever remains above these thresholds.
To illustrate: consider an estate worth £500,000 belonging to a single person with no Residence Nil Rate Band available. The nil rate band is £325,000, so the taxable amount is £175,000. At 40%, the IHT liability would be £70,000 — money that comes straight out of the inheritance your family receives.
For a married couple, the picture can be more favourable. Unused nil rate band transfers to the surviving spouse, and if a qualifying home is passed to direct descendants, the combined Residence Nil Rate Band can add up to £350,000. This means a married couple could potentially pass on up to £1,000,000 tax-free — but only with proper planning and the right structures in place.
Who is Affected by Inheritance Tax?
IHT is no longer just a concern for the wealthy. With the average home in England now worth around £290,000, a homeowner with even modest savings and a pension could easily exceed the £325,000 threshold. Understanding whether your estate is at risk is the first step toward protecting it.
The Threshold for Taxable Estates
The nil rate band — the point at which IHT starts to apply — is £325,000 per person. This has been frozen since 2009 and will remain frozen until at least April 2031. The Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB) adds up to £175,000 per person, but only if a qualifying residential property is passed to direct descendants (children, grandchildren, or step-children). The RNRB is not available when a home is left to nephews, nieces, siblings, friends, or charities. It also tapers away for estates valued above £2,000,000, reducing by £1 for every £2 over that threshold.
| Estate Value | Inheritance Tax Liability | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £325,000 | No tax | 0% |
| Above £325,000 | 40% on the excess | 40% |
Common Misconceptions
One common misconception is that IHT only affects millionaires. In reality, a homeowner in the South East with a property worth £350,000, savings of £50,000, and a car worth £10,000 already has an estate of £410,000 — well above the nil rate band. Without planning, £34,000 of that estate could go to HMRC rather than to their family.
Another misconception is that simply writing a will protects you from IHT. It doesn’t. A will controls who receives your estate, but it does nothing to reduce the tax on it. A will also goes through probate, during which all sole-name assets are frozen and the will itself becomes a public document that anyone can obtain a copy of.
Perhaps the most dangerous misconception is that “it’s too early to plan” or “I’ll deal with it later.” The most effective IHT planning strategies — particularly lifetime trusts and gifts — need time to work. The seven-year rule for gifts, for example, means waiting is the most expensive thing you can do.
Who is Exempt from Inheritance Tax?
Certain transfers are exempt from Inheritance Tax, regardless of their value:
- Transfers between spouses or civil partners — fully exempt, even if the estate is worth millions
- Gifts to qualifying charities — fully exempt, and leaving 10%+ of the net estate to charity reduces the IHT rate from 40% to 36%
- Gifts to community amateur sports clubs and certain other qualifying bodies
- Estates below the nil rate band — the first £325,000 per person is tax-free
Additionally, the Residence Nil Rate Band can increase the tax-free allowance by up to £175,000 per person where a qualifying home is left to direct descendants. For a married couple who plan properly, this can mean a combined tax-free allowance of up to £1,000,000 (£650,000 nil rate bands + £350,000 Residence Nil Rate Bands).
Understanding whether your estate is likely to face an IHT charge involves looking honestly at the total value of your assets — your home, savings, investments, pensions, and possessions — and comparing that figure against the available thresholds. By planning ahead, you can take practical steps to reduce or eliminate the impact of IHT on your family.
Current Statistics on Inheritance Tax
The numbers tell a clear story: Inheritance Tax is affecting more families every year, and the trend shows no sign of reversing. Understanding these figures is essential for UK homeowners who want to protect their estates rather than hand a significant portion to HMRC.
Percentage of Estates Subject to Inheritance Tax
According to HMRC, in the tax year 2021 to 2022, 27,800 estates were liable for Inheritance Tax — representing 4.39% of UK deaths during that period. While 4.39% might sound small, it’s important to put that into context: in 2009-2010, when the nil rate band was first frozen at £325,000, the figure was significantly lower. Every year since then, rising property values and frozen thresholds have pushed more ordinary families into the IHT net. HMRC collected a record £7.1 billion in IHT in 2023-2024, and that figure is projected to keep rising.
Trends Over Recent Years
The trend is unmistakable: both the number of estates paying IHT and the percentage of deaths resulting in a charge have increased year on year. The primary driver is simple arithmetic — property values continue to rise while the nil rate band has remained at £325,000 since 2009.
| Tax Year | Number of Estates Subject to Inheritance Tax | Percentage of UK Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-2019 | 23,900 | 3.7% |
| 2019-2020 | 25,200 | 3.9% |
| 2020-2021 | 26,400 | 4.1% |
| 2021-2022 | 27,800 | 4.39% |
The table above shows a steady and accelerating increase in estates subject to Inheritance Tax. With the nil rate band frozen until at least 2031 and property values continuing to rise, this trend will almost certainly continue. Additional pressure is coming from the government’s decision to bring inherited pensions into the IHT net from April 2027, and from the capping of Business Property Relief and Agricultural Property Relief from April 2026 (100% relief on the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural property, then 50% on the excess).
The message is clear: if you own a home in England and have modest savings, there’s a growing chance your estate will face IHT unless you plan ahead. As Mike Pugh says: “Trusts are not just for the rich — they’re for the smart.”
Factors Influencing Inheritance Tax Obligations
Several key factors determine how much IHT your estate will owe — and understanding these factors is the foundation of effective planning. The good news is that most of these factors are within your control if you act early enough.
Value of the Estate
The total value of your estate is the single biggest factor in determining your IHT liability. Your estate includes everything you own: your home, savings, investments, personal possessions, vehicles, and — from April 2027 — the value of your pension fund. If the total exceeds the nil rate band (£325,000 per person), the excess is taxed at 40%.
Here’s what catches many people off guard: the average home in England is now worth around £290,000. Add in savings of £50,000, a car, and personal possessions, and a perfectly ordinary homeowner can easily have an estate worth £375,000 or more — meaning £20,000 in IHT at 40%. For couples, the exposure can be even greater if they haven’t structured their affairs properly.
Gifts Made Before Death
Gifts made during your lifetime can reduce your estate’s IHT exposure — but the rules are specific, and timing matters enormously. Here’s how the main gift exemptions and rules work:
- Potentially Exempt Transfers (PETs): Gifts to individuals are potentially exempt from IHT. If you survive for seven years after making the gift, it falls completely outside your estate. If you die within seven years, the gift uses up your nil rate band first, and any excess is taxed at 40%. Taper relief reduces the tax (not the value of the gift) on a sliding scale from 3 to 7 years — but only where the cumulative value of gifts exceeds the £325,000 nil rate band.
- Chargeable Lifetime Transfers (CLTs): Transfers into discretionary trusts are not PETs — they are CLTs. An immediate lifetime charge of 20% applies on any value above the settlor’s available nil rate band. If the settlor dies within seven years, the transfer is reassessed at 40% (with taper relief and credit for the 20% already paid). For most families placing their home into trust, if the value is within the available nil rate band, there is no entry charge at all.
- Annual gift exemption: £3,000 per tax year, with one year’s carry-forward if unused.
- Small gifts: £250 per recipient per tax year (cannot be combined with the £3,000 for the same person).
- Wedding gifts: £5,000 from a parent, £2,500 from a grandparent, £1,000 from anyone else.
- Gifts between spouses or civil partners: Fully exempt, regardless of value.
- Gifts to charities: Fully exempt.
- Normal expenditure out of income: Regular gifts from surplus income are exempt — but these must be properly documented to satisfy HMRC.
Type of Assets Involved
The type of assets within your estate can significantly affect the IHT calculation. Some categories of assets qualify for specific reliefs that can reduce or eliminate the taxable value.
| Asset Type | Inheritance Tax Relief |
|---|---|
| Business Property | Business Property Relief (BPR) can reduce the taxable value by up to 100%. From April 2026, 100% relief is capped at the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural property; 50% relief applies on the excess. |
| Agricultural Land | Agricultural Property Relief (APR) can also reduce the taxable value by up to 100%, subject to the same new cap from April 2026. |
| Main Residence | The Residence Nil Rate Band adds up to £175,000 per person — but only if the property passes to direct descendants (children, grandchildren, step-children). Not available for other beneficiaries. |
It’s also worth noting that life insurance policies paid out on death are included in your estate for IHT purposes — unless the policy has been written into trust. A Life Insurance Trust is one of the simplest and most cost-effective planning tools available, and is typically free to set up. Without one, up to 40% of a life insurance payout could go straight to HMRC rather than to the family it was intended to protect.
Strategies to Reduce Inheritance Tax
Inheritance Tax is not inevitable. With the right planning — done early enough — you can significantly reduce or even eliminate the IHT your family will have to pay. Here are the most effective strategies available under English and Welsh law.
Trusts and Their Benefits
England invented trust law over 800 years ago, and trusts remain one of the most powerful tools for protecting family wealth. A trust is a legal arrangement (not a separate legal entity) where trustees hold and manage assets for the benefit of named beneficiaries. The trustees are the legal owners of the trust property, but they hold it on terms set out in the trust deed for the beneficiaries’ benefit. The most commonly used type for family protection is the discretionary trust, where trustees have absolute discretion over how and when assets are distributed — meaning no beneficiary has a fixed right to the trust’s income or capital. This is precisely what provides the protection.
Different trusts serve different purposes. A Family Home Protection Trust (Plus) can protect your home from care fees while retaining valuable IHT reliefs including the Residence Nil Rate Band. A Gifted Property Trust can remove 50% or more of your home’s value from your estate while avoiding the gift with reservation of benefit rules, starting the seven-year clock. A Life Insurance Trust ensures payouts bypass your estate entirely, avoiding the 40% IHT charge — and is typically free to set up. For buy-to-let or investment properties, a Settlor Excluded Asset Protection Trust can remove these assets from your estate while avoiding the reservation of benefit rules entirely.
Key benefits of using trusts include:
- IHT reduction: Assets held in a properly structured irrevocable lifetime trust are generally outside your estate for IHT purposes. For transfers into discretionary trusts (CLTs), the asset’s value is assessed against your available nil rate band at the time of transfer — for most family homes below £325,000, the entry charge is zero. The trust is then subject to the relevant property regime, with periodic charges at each ten-year anniversary of a maximum of 6% and proportionate exit charges — both of which are often nil for trust funds within the nil rate band.
- Bypassing probate delays: Trust assets are not frozen on death — trustees can act immediately, providing your family with access to assets while the rest of the estate goes through the probate process (which can take 3-12 months or longer with property sales)
- Protection from care fees: A properly structured discretionary trust established years before any foreseeable need for care can protect assets from local authority means-testing. Between 40,000 and 70,000 homes are sold each year to fund care costs in the UK. The key is that the trust must be established for legitimate reasons well in advance — you cannot transfer assets after a foreseeable need for care has arisen
- Divorce protection: Because the beneficiaries of a discretionary trust have no fixed entitlement to the trust assets, those assets are much harder for a divorcing spouse to claim. With UK divorce rates at around 42%, this is a significant consideration for protecting your children’s inheritance
- Privacy: Unlike a will (which becomes a public document after the Grant of Probate is issued), a trust deed remains private. The Trust Registration Service is mandatory for all UK express trusts, but the register is not publicly accessible — unlike Companies House
Trusts start from around £850 for straightforward arrangements, typically ranging from £850 to £2,000+ depending on complexity. When you compare that one-time cost to average care fees of £1,200-£1,500 per week, or a potential IHT bill of tens of thousands of pounds, it’s one of the most cost-effective forms of protection available.
Making Use of Reliefs and Exemptions
UK law provides several valuable reliefs and exemptions that can substantially reduce IHT — but you need to know they exist and plan to use them. Business Property Relief and Agricultural Property Relief can reduce the taxable value of qualifying assets by up to 100% (though from April 2026, the 100% rate will be capped at the first £1 million of combined business and agricultural property, with 50% on the excess). The Residence Nil Rate Band can add up to £175,000 per person to the tax-free threshold — but only if your home passes to direct descendants and your estate is valued below £2 million (above which the RNRB tapers away by £1 for every £2 over that threshold).
The spouse exemption is unlimited — you can leave everything to your spouse or civil partner free of IHT. However, this merely defers the problem. When the surviving spouse dies, the combined estate faces IHT, often at a much higher value due to the inheritance they received from the first death. Proper planning considers both deaths, not just the first — this is where will trusts such as interest in possession trusts can prevent sideways disinheritance and ensure assets pass to your intended beneficiaries.
Leaving 10% or more of your net estate to charity reduces the IHT rate from 40% to 36% — a meaningful saving on larger estates that also benefits causes you care about.
Considering Lifetime Gifts
Making lifetime gifts is one of the most straightforward strategies to reduce IHT — provided you understand the rules and give yourself enough time. Gifts to individuals are Potentially Exempt Transfers (PETs): if you survive seven years, the gift falls completely outside your estate. If you die within seven years, the gift is added back and uses your nil rate band first.
It’s important to understand the distinction: gifts to individuals are PETs, but transfers into discretionary trusts are Chargeable Lifetime Transfers (CLTs) — they are treated differently and attract an immediate 20% charge on any value exceeding the available nil rate band. For most family homes below the nil rate band threshold, this means no charge at all, but the distinction matters for planning purposes.
When considering lifetime gifts, keep in mind:
- The seven-year clock is non-negotiable: You cannot start the clock on your deathbed. Early planning is essential. Every year you wait is a year wasted.
- Don’t compromise your own financial security: Never give away assets you may need for your own living costs or care. A good adviser will ensure you retain enough for your own needs.
- Beware the gift with reservation of benefit rules: If you give away your home but continue to live in it rent-free, HMRC treats the property as still being in your estate — even if you survive seven years. There is also the Pre-Owned Assets Tax (POAT) to consider, which can impose an annual income tax charge where you benefit from a formerly-owned asset. Paying full market rent or using a properly structured trust is essential to avoid these traps.
- Use your annual exemptions: The £3,000 annual gift exemption, small gift exemption (£250 per recipient), and wedding gift exemptions are simple, immediate, and fully exempt from day one — no seven-year wait required.
- Document everything: Keep records of all gifts, including dates, amounts, and recipients. Normal expenditure out of income must be properly documented to satisfy HMRC — they will want to see evidence that the gifts formed part of a regular pattern, came from income (not capital), and did not affect your standard of living.
By combining trusts, reliefs, exemptions, and gifts into a coherent plan, you can significantly reduce or even eliminate your family’s IHT exposure. The key is starting early — plan, don’t panic.
Planning for Future Generations
Effective estate planning isn’t just about reducing a tax bill — it’s about ensuring that the wealth you’ve built over a lifetime actually reaches the people you care about. Not losing the family money provides the greatest peace of mind above all else.
Estate Planning Essentials
A comprehensive estate plan goes well beyond writing a will. While a valid will is essential, it only controls what happens to assets in your sole name when you die. It doesn’t reduce IHT, it doesn’t protect against care fees, and it doesn’t prevent the delays and public nature of probate. A proper estate plan addresses all of these threats.
Here are the key elements to consider:
- A valid, up-to-date will: Essential, but only the starting point. Your will should be reviewed after any major life event — marriage, divorce, birth of children or grandchildren, or a significant change in assets.
- Lifetime trusts: The most effective tool for protecting your home and other assets from IHT, care fees, probate delays, and family disputes. Discretionary trusts are the most common type used for family protection, providing maximum flexibility and protection. A discretionary trust can last up to 125 years under English law, providing multi-generational protection.
- Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs): Both property & financial affairs and health & welfare. Without these, your family would need to apply for a deputyship through the Court of Protection — a slow, expensive, and restrictive process.
- Life insurance in trust: Ensures payouts go directly to your family, bypassing both probate and IHT. Typically free to arrange.
- Lifetime gifts: Used strategically to reduce your estate’s value over time, taking advantage of annual exemptions and the seven-year rule.
Engaging Professional Help
Inheritance tax planning and trust law are specialist areas. General solicitors and high street will writers may lack the specific expertise needed to properly structure trusts for IHT, care fee protection, and asset protection. As Mike Pugh puts it: “The law — like medicine — is broad. You wouldn’t want your GP doing surgery.” Working with a specialist who focuses exclusively on trusts and estate planning can make the difference between a plan that works and one that leaves your family exposed.
The following table outlines key estate planning strategies and what to consider with each:
| Strategy | Benefit | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Making a valid will | Ensures your wishes are carried out and avoids intestacy rules | Must be reviewed after any major life change; does not reduce IHT or protect assets from care fees |
| Lifetime discretionary trusts | Protects assets from IHT, care fees, divorce, and probate delays | Requires specialist setup; the settlor can be a trustee to maintain involvement; the trust must be irrevocable for IHT benefits; trustees are given Standard and Overriding powers for flexibility without making the trust revocable |
| Lifetime gifts | Reduces the taxable value of your estate if you survive seven years | Must not compromise your own financial security; gift with reservation of benefit rules must be carefully observed |
By understanding the importance of comprehensive estate planning and working with specialists, you can ensure that your estate is structured to protect future generations. Keeping families wealthy strengthens the country as a whole.
Protecting Your Estate
Taking proactive steps to protect your estate isn’t just sensible financial planning — it’s an act of care for the people you’ll leave behind. The most common regret families express is not that planning was too expensive, but that they didn’t start sooner.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many families inadvertently increase their IHT exposure through avoidable errors. Here are the most common mistakes we see:
- Relying solely on a will: A will does not reduce IHT, does not protect assets from care fees, and does not prevent probate delays. It’s a starting point, not a complete estate plan.
- Failing to use available reliefs: The Residence Nil Rate Band, spouse exemption, annual gift exemptions, and charitable giving relief are all available — but only if your estate is structured to qualify for them.
- Giving away the home without proper advice: Gifting your property to your children while continuing to live in it creates a gift with reservation of benefit — HMRC will treat the property as still in your estate. A properly structured trust avoids this trap.
- Assuming IHT “won’t affect us”: With the nil rate band frozen at £325,000 since 2009 and average house prices around £290,000, a homeowner with even modest savings is likely to exceed the threshold.
- Waiting too long to plan: The seven-year rule for gifts, the need to establish trusts well before any foreseeable care needs, and the time required for proper structuring all mean that early action is essential. You cannot transfer assets after a foreseeable need for care has arisen — a local authority can look back and treat such a transfer as deprivation of assets, and unlike the seven-year IHT rule, there is no fixed time limit for this assessment.
- Not putting life insurance in trust: Without this simple (and typically free) step, up to 40% of your life insurance payout could go to HMRC rather than your family.
- Using the wrong type of trust: Not all trusts provide the same protection. A bare trust, for example, gives the beneficiary an absolute right to the trust assets at age 18 — it provides no IHT efficiency, no care fee protection, and no divorce protection. Discretionary trusts, where no beneficiary has a fixed entitlement, are the most protective structure for the vast majority of families.
Importance of Regularly Reviewing Your Will
Your will should be a living document that reflects your current circumstances. Life events can fundamentally change your estate’s IHT position:
- Marriage automatically revokes a previous will under English law (unless the will was made in contemplation of that specific marriage). If you remarry without making a new will, the intestacy rules apply — and they may not distribute your estate the way you intended.
- Divorce does not revoke your will entirely, but it does treat your former spouse as having predeceased you for the purposes of the will. This can create unintended gaps in your estate plan.
- Birth of children or grandchildren may mean you want to update beneficiaries, establish trusts, or take advantage of the Residence Nil Rate Band by ensuring your home passes to direct descendants.
- Changes in asset values — particularly property — can push your estate above the IHT threshold. Regular reviews ensure your planning keeps pace with your estate’s growth.
We recommend reviewing your will and estate plan at least every three to five years, or immediately after any significant life event. A comprehensive review should include your will, any trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney, life insurance arrangements, and pension death benefit nominations.
The Role of Professional Advisors
IHT planning is not a DIY exercise. The interaction between trust law, tax law, property law, care fee regulations, and family dynamics means that getting it wrong can be more expensive than not planning at all. Working with the right specialist is essential.
How Specialist Advisors Can Help
A specialist inheritance tax planning adviser can provide a comprehensive assessment of your estate’s exposure and recommend tailored strategies. At MP Estate Planning, we use our proprietary Estate Pro AI — a 13-point threat analysis that evaluates your estate against the key risks: IHT, care fees, probate delays, divorce, family disputes, sideways disinheritance, and more.
Here’s what a specialist adviser can do that a general solicitor typically cannot:
- Identify the right type of trust for your circumstances — whether that’s a Family Home Protection Trust (Plus), Gifted Property Trust, Settlor Excluded Asset Protection Trust, or Life Insurance Trust
- Structure the trust correctly to ensure it achieves its intended purpose — IHT reduction, care fee protection, bypassing probate delays, or all three
- Navigate the gift with reservation of benefit rules and the Pre-Owned Assets Tax provisions to ensure your planning actually works under HMRC scrutiny
- Coordinate your will, trusts, LPAs, and insurance into a coherent, integrated plan
- Handle the practical steps — from preparing the trust deed and transferring property (using a TR1 form for unmortgaged properties, or a declaration of trust for properties with an outstanding mortgage) to registering with the Trust Registration Service within 90 days and placing a restriction on the title at Land Registry
Financial Planning for Inheritance Tax
Effective IHT planning isn’t just about legal structures — it also involves understanding your overall financial position. How much do you need to retain for your own living costs? What are your income sources in retirement, including your state pension and any private pensions or SIPPs? Could you make regular gifts from surplus income (which are exempt from IHT from day one)? What happens if one spouse needs care — and care costs are currently averaging £1,200-£1,500 per week, rising to £1,700+ in London and the South East?
These are the questions a specialist adviser helps you answer. The goal isn’t simply to reduce a tax figure on paper — it’s to ensure that you’re financially secure during your lifetime while maximising what your family receives after you’re gone.
MP Estate Planning was founded by Mike Pugh with a straightforward philosophy: trusts are not just for the rich — they’re for the smart. Mike is the first and only company in the UK that actively publishes all prices on YouTube, so you know exactly what you’re paying before you begin. That transparency reflects a broader commitment to making estate planning accessible to ordinary families, not just the wealthy.
Take Action Today
The statistics are clear: more families are paying Inheritance Tax every year, and the frozen nil rate band means this trend will only accelerate. The question isn’t whether IHT could affect your estate — it’s how much your family stands to lose if you don’t plan.
Every year you wait is a year wasted. The seven-year clock on gifts doesn’t start until you act. Trusts need to be established well before any foreseeable need for care. And the cost of proper planning — from around £850 for a straightforward trust — is a fraction of what your family could lose to IHT (40% of everything above £325,000) or care fees (£1,200-£1,500 per week until your assets are depleted to £14,250).
Protecting Your Estate
Taking the first step is easier than you think. A consultation with a specialist can identify exactly where your estate is vulnerable and what practical steps will protect it. Whether it’s a lifetime discretionary trust for your home, a Life Insurance Trust, proper use of the Residence Nil Rate Band, or a gifting strategy, there are proven solutions for every situation.
If you’re concerned about the impact of Inheritance Tax on your estate, we encourage you to visit our inheritance tax planning page for more information, or contact us directly to discuss your situation. You can fill out our contact form or call us at 0117 440 1555 to schedule a free consultation with our specialists.
Plan, don’t panic. Taking action today can help ensure your estate is protected from unnecessary Inheritance Tax — securing your family’s financial future for generations to come.