{"id":192725,"date":"2025-12-20T02:00:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T02:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/192725\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T02:00:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T02:00:20","slug":"hmrc-rake-in-an-extra-5-8bn-as-inheritance-tax-grows-as-treasurys-most-dependable-money-spinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/192725\/","title":{"rendered":"HMRC rake in an extra \u00a35.8bn as inheritance tax grows as Treasury&#8217;s &#8216;most dependable money-spinner&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Treasury collected \u00a35.8billion in inheritance tax during the first eight months of the current financial year, according to fresh data released by HMRC this morning.<\/p>\n<p>The figures, covering April to November 2025, mark an \u00a384million increase compared with the same period in 2024\/25, when receipts stood at \u00a35.7billion.<\/p>\n<p>This represents a one per cent rise year-on-year, putting the Exchequer on course for another record-breaking haul from the levy.<\/p>\n<p>The latest statistics underscore how inheritance tax has become an increasingly reliable source of government revenue, with experts suggesting the tax is steadily capturing a growing share of household wealth.<\/p>\n<p>Shaun Moore, tax and financial planning expert at Quilter, said the figures reflect a tax system increasingly shaped by deliberate policy decisions rather than temporary measures.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;With the nil-rate band still fixed at \u00a3325,000, rising property values and accumulated savings mean more estates are being drawn into IHT, often among families who would not traditionally consider themselves wealthy,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Moore noted that what was previously considered a levy affecting only a small minority is gradually becoming a wider concern for ordinary households.<\/p>\n<p>The continuation of frozen thresholds at the recent Budget means this trend is now firmly established, with the tax&#8217;s reach expanding without any formal rate increases.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"eee08\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"27d0facde25cd7538b42987f1ec85a76\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201600%20900'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-runner-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/couple-and-hmrc-letter.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" alt=\"Couple and HMRC letter\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Inheritance tax brings in \u00a35.8billion for HMRC<\/p>\n<p> | GETTY <\/p>\n<p>The Office for Budget Responsibility projects inheritance tax will generate \u00a38.7billion across the full 2025-26 financial year, representing a 4.5 per cent increase on the previous year.<\/p>\n<p>Looking further ahead, receipts are expected to climb substantially over the coming years, reaching \u00a314.5billion by 2030-31.<\/p>\n<p>This growth will be driven by rising house and equity prices, combined with the effects of policies announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.<\/p>\n<p>LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:<\/p>\n<p>The pressure on households is set to intensify from 2027, when pensions will be brought within the scope of inheritance tax for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Moore warned that pensions now represent one of the largest components of wealth for many families, meaning future liabilities could prove considerably larger than anticipated.<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Lowe, director at retirement specialist Just Group, described inheritance tax as &#8220;a quiet but powerful revenue engine for the Treasury&#8221; that is on track for another bumper year.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"d76cf\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"9150358bc5ff29654f31b734e86afab3\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%208192%205464'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-runner-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/person-writing-letter-while-planning-how-to-reduce-inheritance-tax.jpg\" width=\"8192\" height=\"5464\" alt=\"Person writing letter while planning how to reduce inheritance tax\"\/>Inheritance tax can be reduced by giving gifts &#8211; but rules do apply  | GETTY<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"d11f1\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"71efd3a215f2873dd470bdbf44ea4328\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201600%20900'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-runner-src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/man-going-over-finances-and-inheritance-tax-on-calculator.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" alt=\"Man going over finances and inheritance tax on calculator\"\/>Leaving money to charity is completely free from inheritance tax | GETTY<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;With record-breaking takings rolling in and last year&#8217;s Budget reforms still feeding through, Inheritance Tax is securing its spot as one of the Treasury&#8217;s most dependable money-spinners,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Lowe urged anyone concerned their estate may fall within the scope of the levy to obtain an up-to-date valuation, particularly of their property holdings.<\/p>\n<p>He added that estate planning has become increasingly complex as rules continue to shift, suggesting many families would benefit from seeking professional financial advice to manage their affairs efficiently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Treasury collected \u00a35.8billion in inheritance tax during the first eight months of the current financial year, according&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":192726,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[138,246,18262,300,111,139,69,244,245,51066],"class_list":{"0":"post-192725","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-finance","10":"tag-inheritance-tax","11":"tag-money","12":"tag-new-zealand","13":"tag-newzealand","14":"tag-nz","15":"tag-personal-finance","16":"tag-personalfinance","17":"tag-sgg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=192725"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192725\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/192726"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=192725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}