The survey covered 2,220 UK adults aged 18+ online over the period of 24 to 25 September 2025.

Opposition to tougher IHT rules has grown since this time last year, despite the state of the public finances, the survey reveals. Seventy-six per cent of respondents oppose an increase in the current 40 per cent rate at which IHT is levied, up from 69 per cent in September 2024. Sixty-seven per cent favour raising the £325,000 ($435,000) threshold at which IHT must be paid, a small increase compared with 64 per cent last year.

Another finding is that only a fraction of respondents have taken professional advice to reduce a potential inheritance tax liability. Seventy-six per cent have either not considered or decided against doing so, despite the fact that ever more estates are falling within the net of IHT.  

The research comes ahead of UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ Budget. She is expected to keep thresholds in place but introduce further tweaks to IHT exemptions, following changes to pension taxation and the business and agricultural land reliefs she has already targeted. Rumours include the suggestion that Reeves could introduce a gift cap and/or changes to the tapering rules on gift allowances. There have also been reports that she is considering axing the primary residence nil rate band exemption.

“Inheritance tax is effectively this country’s wealth tax. It is only paid by one in 20 estates and whilst it is not a big moneyspinner for the Treasury in the scheme, it will no doubt be tempting for the Chancellor to squeeze more revenue out of these estates given her other pledges,” James Ward, partner and head of private client at Kingsley Napley, said. “Ms Reeves is unlikely to give two hoots about growing public opposition to IHT reform, despite the fact it is evenly spread in the voter community.”

“We have had a busy summer of clients wanting to proposals could go even further by seeking to simplify the tax and make it easier for the average taxpayer to understand and by making it easier for honest people to declare properly what they should,” Lunn continued. “Simplification could start with the abolition of the rather complex residence nil rate band with the regular or ordinary nil rate band being increased to £1 million – keeping that fully transferrable would bring the figure to £2 million for married couples and civil partners.”

“The annual gift allowance should also be raised well above its outdated £3,000 limit to a figure more like £15,000 which would make it much easier to spot when this level had been exceeded and, thus, much easier to declare honestly,” Lunn added. “We also think that gifts should fall outside the estate for IHT purposes within five years rather than the current seven years as, again, it is easier to make accurate and honest declarations over a shorter period of time.”

Lunn said making inheritance tax simpler, easier to understand and pay honestly would go some way towards making it less unpopular, as would restoring it to what it was originally intended to be. “It was never intended to be a tax on hard-earned, already-taxed and unexceptional levels of family wealth,” he said.