Pass on your wealth to your family, not HMRC.
UK inheritance tax takes 40% of everything above your tax-free allowances. Living abroad doesn't automatically take you out of it. We show you exactly where you stand and how to legally reduce the bill.
- Clear picture of your current IHT exposure
- Specialists in the new 2025 residence-based rules
- Gifting, trusts, insurance and cross-border estate planning
Free IHT assessment
We'll calculate your exposure and your options. No obligation.
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A Credible Life IHT specialist will be in touch within 1 business day.
Moving abroad doesn't end your UK inheritance tax
From 6 April 2025, UK inheritance tax is based on how long you have lived in the UK, not on your domicile. Many expats are still in scope on their worldwide estate for years after leaving.
If you were UK resident for at least 10 of the last 20 tax years, your worldwide estate is exposed to UK IHT.
Your worldwide exposure continues for 3 to 10 years after you leave, depending on how long you lived in the UK.
UK property, UK bank accounts and UK investments stay liable to UK IHT, however long you've lived abroad.
Are you still in scope?
Move the sliders to see how the new residence rules could apply to you.
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Three changes that affect your estate plan
If your plan was written before 2025, it may already be out of date.
Residence replaces domicile
Worldwide IHT exposure now depends on long-term UK residence. Old non-dom planning and excluded-property trusts need reviewing.
Business & farm relief capped
100% Business and Agricultural Property Relief is now limited to a set allowance. Value above it gets 50% relief, and AIM shares get 50% relief.
Pensions join your estate
Most unused pension funds and death benefits will count towards your estate for IHT. For many expats this is the biggest change of all.
How much could your family lose to IHT?
A quick estimate based on 2026/27 allowances. Your adviser will build a precise figure in your free assessment.
Your estate
- Total estate£0
- Nil-rate band£0
- Residence nil-rate band£0
- Taxable at 40%£0
- Potential IHT£0
Illustration only, not advice. It assumes full transfer of a late spouse's allowances, no lifetime gifts in the last 7 years, and no reliefs or exemptions. The residence nil-rate band tapers away on estates above £2m.
Legal ways to protect more of your estate
The earlier you plan, the more options you have. Many strategies need time to become effective.
Lifetime Gifting
Gifts made more than seven years before death are generally exempt. We structure a gifting plan that reduces your estate while keeping you financially secure.
Trust Planning
Move assets out of your taxable estate while keeping control of how and when beneficiaries receive them, protecting wealth from divorce, creditors and poor decisions.
Life Insurance in Trust
A policy written in trust pays out outside your estate, giving your family the money to pay any IHT bill without selling the family home or investments.
Business Property Relief
Qualifying business interests and farmland can attract significant relief. We review how the 2026 relief cap affects your business assets.
Nil-Rate Band & RNRB
We make sure you and your spouse use every allowance, including the residence nil-rate band, which is lost on estates above £2m without planning.
Residence & Cross-Border Review
We assess your long-term residence status, your IHT tail and double-tax treaties, and coordinate your UK plan with the rules where you live now.
A complete IHT plan, not a single product
We look at your whole estate across every country and build one plan that reflects your wishes for the people you love.
Four steps to peace of mind
Free IHT assessment
A no-obligation call to understand your family, assets and where you live.
Exposure report
We calculate your current IHT liability and your residence position in plain English.
Your written plan
Clear recommendations, with fees agreed upfront, working alongside your solicitor on wills and trusts.
Ongoing reviews
We update your plan as the law, your residence or your family circumstances change.
IHT advice built for life across borders
Most UK advisers only see the UK side. We plan for where you are now and where your family will be.
Cross-border specialists
Deep expertise in UK, US and international rules, advising expats in 50+ countries.
100% independent
Whole-of-market advice with zero product bias.
Transparent fees
No hidden charges. You always know what you pay and why.
Long-term partnership
30+ years of combined experience. Most clients stay with us for 10+ years.
UK inheritance tax questions, answered
Have a question about your estate?
Speak to an IHT specialist. Your first assessment is free and there's no obligation.
info@credible-life.com01.What is the UK inheritance tax threshold?
The standard nil-rate band is £325,000 per person. The residence nil-rate band adds up to £175,000 when your main home passes to children or grandchildren. Unused allowances pass to a surviving spouse, so a married couple can potentially shelter up to £1,000,000. Above these thresholds, IHT is charged at 40%.
02.Am I subject to UK IHT if I live abroad?
Possibly. Since April 2025, if you were UK resident for at least 10 of the previous 20 tax years, your worldwide estate is in scope. That exposure continues for 3 to 10 years after you leave. UK-situated assets such as UK property are always in scope, wherever you live.
03.Will my pension be subject to inheritance tax?
From 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included in your estate for IHT. For those with large SIPPs or other pension pots, this can significantly increase the bill. Plans that relied on pensions being outside the estate should be reviewed now.
04.How effective are trusts at reducing IHT?
Very effective when set up correctly and early. Depending on the type of trust, assets can leave your taxable estate immediately or after seven years, while you keep control over how beneficiaries receive them. The right structure depends on your residence position and goals.
05.Is it too late to plan if I am older?
No. Even without the full seven years, options such as regular gifts from surplus income, life insurance written in trust, spouse and charity exemptions, and making full use of both nil-rate bands can still make a real difference.
Protect your estate for the people you love
Get a free inheritance tax assessment. We'll calculate your current exposure and show you the most effective ways to reduce it.