IHT receipts up 54% year-on-year in April and May

£5m in tax receipts

clock • 1 min read

Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts for April and May 2021 were more than 50% higher than the same two months in 2020, according to the latest data from HM Revenue & Customs.

HMRC said the 54% year-on-year hike could be the result of"high volumes of wealth transfers that took place during the Covid-19 pandemic". That said, the taxman could not verify that theory until more data becomes available. The data also revealed full-year IHT receipts of £5,326 million for 2020-2021. A £204 million increase from the year before. In the Spring budget earlier this year, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak imposed tax freezes on both inheritance and capital gains tax until 2026, which some have referred to as a ‘stealth' mechanism that will see IHT bills increas...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Investment

Protecting portfolios during heightened inflation risk

Protecting portfolios during heightened inflation risk

'This is a year for careful, defensive positioning'

Fahad Hassan
clock 30 March 2026 • 3 min read
Wealth Club launches UK's first private markets SIPP

Wealth Club launches UK's first private markets SIPP

45% income tax relief

Patrick Brusnahan
clock 24 March 2026 • 1 min read
Rebalancing act: Sometimes doing very little in portfolio management is the hardest thing to do

Rebalancing act: Sometimes doing very little in portfolio management is the hardest thing to do

'More often, it's the quieter disciplines that matter most'

Phillip Young
clock 23 March 2026 • 3 min read