{"id":123804,"date":"2026-08-03T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=123804"},"modified":"2026-08-03T11:10:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T10:10:36","slug":"inheritance-tax-bills-could-fall-to-0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/inheritance-tax-bills-could-fall-to-0\/","title":{"rendered":"Inheritance Tax Bills Could Fall to \u00a30 Under a Little-Known HMRC Rule"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The relief has attracted renewed attention as families review their inheritance tax position following the change of government. According to reports, advisers say the provision is rarely used, although it can provide substantial savings where the qualifying conditions are met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rule is known as quick succession relief<\/strong>, or successive charges relief, and is intended to prevent the same assets from being subject to inheritance tax twice within five years. According to accountancy firm RSM, the relief is “niche”, but can be “highly valuable” when it applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relief Applies When the Same Inheritance Is Taxed Twice<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Quick succession relief can be considered where two deaths occur within a five-year period and the same inheritance passes through both estates. According to reports, the provision is contained in Section 141<\/a> of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984<\/strong> and is designed to reduce or eliminate double taxation in these circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Etherington<\/a>, of accountancy firm RSM, said the relief is not widely known because it depends on two relatively uncommon conditions being met. Both deaths must occur within five years, and both estates must be large enough to incur inheritance tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amount of relief depends on the interval between the two deaths. Where both deaths occur within the same year, beneficiaries may receive 100 per cent<\/strong> relief. If the second death takes place between one and two years later, the available relief falls to 80 per cent. The reduction continues on a tapering basis until no relief is available once five years have passed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Inheritance tax relief can cut tax to \u00a30 when the same assets are taxed twice within five years \u00a9Shutterstock<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Advisers Say Executors Should Check Whether the Rules Apply<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The relief is not available in every inheritance tax case. According to Chris Etherington, it cannot be claimed where the original transfer<\/strong> of assets was exempt from inheritance tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its use also depends on executors and professional advisers identifying whether the deceased had previously inherited assets on which inheritance tax<\/a> had already been paid. Without that review, an eligible claim could be overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Mr Etherington said: “As the relief is dependent on two deaths occurring within five years, and both estates being large enough to incur inheritance tax, it is not very well known<\/em>.” He also said: “It also relies on the executors and advisers checking whether the deceased individual has previously inherited assets on which inheritance tax has been paid<\/em>.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

According to RSM, the potential value of the relief means it is worth examining whenever the qualifying circumstances may exist. Mr Etherington added: “As the relief can be significant, it is worthwhile for executors and advisers to check whether quick succession relief may apply<\/em>.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A little-known inheritance tax relief could reduce a family’s tax liability to nothing in certain circumstances, according to tax specialists. The measure applies only in a narrow range of cases where the same inherited assets are taxed twice within a relatively short period.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":123819,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-taxation","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123804"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123804\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":123831,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123804\/revisions\/123831"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}