HMRC has recently produced guidance on how the new long-term residence rules affect inheritance tax (IHT) from 6 April 2025.

Now that advisers have had time to recover from the tax year end rush it’s time to start considering pension planning in 2025/26.  With the potential for tax increases looming in the Autumn Budget, there could be a greater incentive than usual to make contributions sooner rather than later.

In recommendations submitted to the Treasury Select Committee (TSC), the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) says institutions and individuals must be held accountable for decisions made using AI, and advocates for a ‘skills strategy’ to support the use of AI within financial services.   

As increasing numbers of people find themselves facing inheritance tax liabilities on death due to a combination of frozen thresholds (the nil rate band and residence nil rate band are now both frozen at current levels until at least 2030), the curtailment of reliefs such as business and agricultural relief at 100% which will now be capped at £1m in any given seven year period and pension pots subject to inheritance tax at 40% with effect from April 2027; a greater proportion of clients will be seeking advice on how to best to plan for or reduce those liabilities.