News

HMRC has issued updated guidance reminding tax agents that estates cannot move between informal reporting and complex estate reporting once they have been registered for Self Assessment during the same administration period. Where an estate initially qualifies for informal reporting but later becomes more complex, agents must register it for Self Assessment through the Trust...

Court Rules Executors Need Not Remain Neutral in Cases of Suspected Deception The England and Wales High Court has confirmed that executors are not always required to remain neutral when there is evidence suggesting dishonesty or deception in relation to an estate. In Teixeira v Moaven [2026] EWHC 1215 Ch, the court examined a deathbed declaration...

New figures show that disputes relating to wills and estates remain at historically high levels. During 2025, the England and Wales High Court heard 126 contested probate cases, matching the elevated levels recorded in the previous year. Data obtained by law firm Irwin Mitchell also revealed that probate caveat applications reached 11,328 in 2025, representing...

Rachel Reeves is facing growing pressure to address a tax loophole that benefits foreign online retailers such as Shein and Temu. High street retailers are urging the Government to remove the current rule that allows parcels valued at up to £135 to enter the UK without being subject to tax. Industry representatives argue that this creates an uneven playing...

More than 1.9 million taxpayers are expected to lose part or all of their tax-free Personal Allowance this year as a result of frozen tax thresholds. Approximately 1.18 million individuals will lose their full £12,570 allowance during the 2025/26 tax year, compared with 1.09 million in 2024/25. Under current tax rules, individuals earning above £100,000 gradually lose...

Public support for the windfall tax remains strong in Scotland, according to a poll conducted by Survation. The survey found that 41% of respondents support the windfall tax, while only 19% oppose it. The results show support across several political groups, including voters of the Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats. Windfall taxes are typically introduced to capture unexpected profits...

The UK’s overall tax burden is projected to rise significantly over the coming years, with forecasts suggesting it could reach around £1.4 trillion annually by the 2030/31 tax year. This would represent approximately 38.5% of the country’s GDP, marking one of the highest levels of taxation in modern UK history. One of the key drivers...

Eligible couples may be able to increase their tax-free Personal Allowance to £13,830 by claiming Marriage Allowance and backdating their application. Claims can be backdated for up to four years, potentially resulting in a tax rebate of up to £1,260. To qualify, one partner must earn below £12,570, while the other must be a basic...

Changes to inheritance tax relief announced in the October 2024 Budget are causing concern among farming groups. From April, agricultural property relief and business property relief will be capped at £1m per estate, with assets above that level subject to a 20% effective IHT rate. Although the Government has since increased the combined relief threshold...

A record 66,587 buy-to-let companies were formed in 2025 — an 8% rise on the previous year and the highest figure in a decade. In total, there are now 443,272 active buy-to-let companies, five times more than in 2016. The shift reflects frozen income tax thresholds and higher mortgage rates, which have reduced profitability for...