Overview

• HMRC launched 3,961 inheritance tax investigations in the year to April 2025, a 31% increase compared to the previous year.
• The tax authority has conducted nearly 10,000 inheritance tax inquiries over the past three years, with 2,606 cases still unresolved.
• Inheritance tax revenues reached a record £8.2 billion in the latest fiscal year, marking the fourth consecutive year of record-breaking collections.
• The interest rate on overdue inheritance tax payments stands at 8.5%, the highest in 18 years, compounding financial challenges for grieving families.
• From 2027, private pensions will be included in estates for inheritance tax purposes, increasing the number of taxable estates by nearly 25%.