HMRC Trusts and Estates Newsletter: August 2024
Updated 8 April 2025
Welcome to the August 2024 edition of the HMRC Trusts and Estates Newsletter.
We do not have a mailing list for the newsletter.
Update to Inheritance Tax IHT100 Forms
HMRC have been working to update and streamline the IHT100 suite of forms, consistent with the recommendation made by the former Office of Tax Simplification.鈥疻e would like to thank representative bodies for their contribution in reviewing the forms.
Previously, customers were required to complete form IHT100, an additional event form, and supplementary schedules D31 to D40 to notify HMRC about each chargeable event when Inheritance Tax is payable on a trust or gift.
Customers are now only required to complete and submit a specific IHT100 form depending on the chargeable event, along with the relevant supplementary schedules D31 to D39.
Example
Where the chargeable event involves notifying HMRC about the ending of a qualifying interest in possession in settled property and there were assets outside the聽United Kingdom, revised form IHT100b as well as schedule D39 would need to be completed.
The new forms to be used are:聽
- IHT100a聽Gifts and other transfers of value鈥�
- IHT100b Termination of a qualifying interest in possession
- IHT100b(death) Assets held in trust聽
- IHT100c Relevant property trusts proportional (exit) charge
- IHT100d聽Relevant property trusts principal (10 year) charge聽
- IHT100e聽Charges on specialist trusts鈥�
- IHT100f聽Heritage exempt property鈥�
- IHT100h聽Assets ceasing to be held in an age 18 to 25 trust鈥�
- IHT418 Assets held in trust鈥�
- D31 Domicile outside the United Kingdom鈥�
- D32 Stocks and shares
- D33聽Debts due to settlement or trust鈥�
- D34聽Life insurance and annuities鈥�
- D35聽Household and personal goods鈥�
- D36聽Land, building and interests in land鈥�
- D37聽Agricultural Relief鈥�
- D38聽Business relief, business or partnership interests鈥�
- D39聽Foreign assets鈥�
Links to all these forms are on the Inheritance Tax forms page on 188体育.
The new form IHT100b(death) allows the trustees to notify HMRC about a person鈥檚 interest in a qualifying interest in possession trust that has come to an end on their death.
The IHT418 remains a dual-purpose form to be used by the executors, or the executors who are also trustees, to notify HMRC about the coming to an end on death of a person鈥檚 interest in a qualifying interest in possession trust.鈥�
HMRC will continue to accept the previous versions of the IH1T00 forms and schedules until 31 December 2024.
Guidance pages on Inheritance Tax and Trusts have been updated on 188体育 to reflect these changes.
Changes to the way we share information needed for probate and confirmation applications
HMRC and the Court Services continue to work together to improve the customer experience for probate, confirmation and Inheritance Tax customers.鈥�
We confirmed a change to our processes in the March 2024 Trusts and Estates Newsletter which meant customers applying for probate in England and Wales no longer needed to complete the IHT421 probate summary. Instead, we explained that we would send a unique code and details of estate values by post once the form IHT400 was processed, allowing customers to make their application for probate.
Where an estate is not an excepted estate, applications for probate are no longer possible without the unique code and confirmation of the estate values.
This change meant that customers have one less form to complete and they can also begin their probate application at the right time, avoiding it being paused and causing unnecessary delays.
We鈥檙e committed to continuously improve our processes, so in response to customer feedback, we鈥檙e updating the form IHT400. Customers will be asked to provide their email address and sign a disclaimer when completing the form if they wish to receive their unique code by email instead of through the post. This will speed up the process and allow the probate or confirmation to be submitted earlier.
The customer鈥檚 email address will be used for the specific purpose of notifying the unique code, no other correspondence can be entered into by email and no other documentation submitted. All forms and documentation should still be submitted to HMRC by post.
If HMRC are unable to issue a unique code, the customer will receive a letter in the post to state what action is required.
This change applies to probate applications in England and Wales.
For Scottish estates we will email the letter required for confirmation (SL189).
Northern Ireland estates are not affected by these changes.
These improvements form part of our commitment to make things easier for our customers, which is one of our聽HMRC Charter standards.
Administrative change to ease the payment of Inheritance Tax before probate or confirmation
The March 2024 Trusts and Estates Newsletter set out that from 1 April 2024, changes had been made where personal representatives of estates are applying to obtain a 鈥榞rant on credit鈥� from HMRC.
Revised guidance explaining this change has been published on 188体育.
Tell HMRC about who is dealing with the estate when someone dies
As a result of improvement suggestions from our agent liaison groups, HMRC has now published form P1000 on 188体育.
This form allows personal representatives of a deceased person鈥檚 estate to pro-actively engage with HMRC to tell us their details and details of any agents. HMRC鈥檚 Bereavement team will contact the persons noted on the P1000 form in dealing with the tax affairs of an individual up to the date of death, and for Income Tax and capital gains of 鈥榠nformal鈥� administration periods.
This process change is intended to speed-up dealing with an estate.听
The form P1000 does not replace other means of notifying HMRC, in particular for Inheritance Tax or any 鈥榓gent handshakes鈥� required by online services.听
If the personal representative cannot use the form P1000, they should usually receive a letter within 40 days if they have used the Tell Us Once service to report that someone has died to a number of government departments.听Otherwise, they should call the Bereavement and deceased estate helpline and clearly say they want the Bereavement Helpline to get through to the right queue quickly.
Agents should also use the Bereavement and deceased estate helpline when dealing with deceased estates rather than the Agent Dedicated Line, to ensure they speak to the right adviser immediately.
Tax returns for low income trusts that cease in the 2024 to 2025 tax year
The March 2024 Trusts and Estates Newsletter described the introduction of a tax-free (de minimis) amount for income of trusts and estates.
The changes were included in Finance (No.2) Act 2023 and came into effect for tax year 2024 to 2025 onwards.
Broadly, from 6 April 2024, trusts and estates with income of all types up to 拢500 will not pay Income Tax on that income as it arises. Where income exceeds that amount, tax will be payable on the full amount.
For accumulation and discretionary trusts with income that exceeds 拢500, the default basic rate (20%) and dividend ordinary rate (8.75%) will no longer apply to the first 拢1,000 slice of trust rate income (commonly referred to as the standard rate band).
HMRC accept in-year paper returns on cessation of a trust. For customers who cease in 2024 to 2025, the 2023 to 2024 paper return should be used. Please ignore box 9A.1 (the amount of standard rate band) as this will not apply.
The Trust and Estate tax return for 2024 to 2025 will be updated to reflect the changes.
Updates to the Trust Registration Service (TRS) guidance
We have published new guidance in the HMRC Trust Registration Service Manual at TRSM90000, which provides detailed instructions on how to use the TRS to register a trust and common errors that might be encountered during the registration process.
This guidance replaces the 鈥楬ow to register鈥� help card issued by the Trusts Helpline.
We will make further updates to TRSM90000 to replace all TRS-related help cards later this year.
Changes to the taxation of non-UK domiciled individuals聽
From 6 April 2025, the government will remove the outdated concept of domicile status and implement a new residence-based regime which is internationally competitive and focused on attracting the best talent and investment to the UK.
A residence-based system for Inheritance Tax will also be introduced.
A policy paper has been published which sets out the government鈥檚 commitment to reform this area of the tax system.听
Further details will be published on 188体育 in due course.
Queries or comments about any of the announced changes can be emailed to [email protected].听
This mailbox is being monitored but during the development of this policy we will not be responding to any emails directly. Instead, we will use those comments when considering future updates. This will help ensure that the same information is made available to all interested parties at the same time.