IHTM47023 - Long-term UK residence test: Charges on 6 April 2025

The long-term UK residence test comes intoÌýforce on 6 April 2025Ìýand the status of foreign trust assets will depend upon the long-term UK residence status of the settlorÌý(IHTM47000).ÌýFor settlorsÌýwho were UK domiciled (IHTM13000) at the time assets became comprisedÌýin the settlement, up until 6 April 2025,Ìýthose assets would not have been excluded property.Ìý If the settlorÌýis not a long-term UK residentÌý(IHTM47020)Ìýunder the new rules which come into force on 6 April 2025, this may result in an immediate Inheritance Tax (IHT) charge.ÌýÌý

Example 1Ìý

Katerina is UK domiciled but became non-UK resident in 2011-12.ÌýÌýÌýÌý

As she is UK domiciled under common law atÌý30 October 2024, the transitional provisionsÌý(IHMT47021)Ìýdo not apply to her.ÌýÌýÌýÌý

However, in 2025-26ÌýKatarina is not a long-termÌýUKÌýresident because she has not been resident forÌý10 out of the last 20 tax years under the test and so is not in scope for UK IHTÌýon her foreignÌýpersonally heldÌýassets.Ìý

If Katerina has foreign assets which she settled into a trust, these would be relevant property up until 6 April 2025 and would become excludedÌýpropertyÌýon that dateÌýbecause Katerina is not a long-term UK residentÌýunder the test.ÌýTherefore,Ìýa proportionate chargeÌý(IHTM42110) arises on 6 April 2025. Following that proportionate charge, as Katerina is not a long-term UK resident, any foreign assets she settled into trust would be out of scope for IHT from 6 April 2025, unless she becomes a long-term UK resident in the future.

ExampleÌý2Ìý

PingÌýhas a domicile of origin in the UK, and moved abroad for 30 years, acquiringÌýa domicile of choice elsewhere.ÌýÌýÌýAfter living away from the UK for 30 years, she became UKÌýresident in 2018-19.ÌýÌýÌý

SheÌýwasÌýa formerly domiciled resident (IHTM13062)Ìýfrom 2019-20 onwardsÌýbecause after returning to the UK, she is treated as UK domiciledÌýfor IHT purposes after oneÌýyear of UK residence.ÌýPing had settled a trust on 1 JanuaryÌý2007 with foreign assets, andÌýthese were relevant property from 2019-20 to 2024-25Ìýbecause of Ping’s status as a formerly domiciled resident.ÌýÌýÌý

On 6 April 2025, Ping is not a long-term UK resident as she has only been resident in the UK for 7 out of the last 20 tax years.Ìý The foreign settled assets become excluded property on 6 April 2025 and the proportionate charge (IHTM42110) arises.Ìý TheÌýrate (IHTM42115) will reflect:ÌýÌý

  • that the assets were not relevant property until 2019-20, when theyÌýbecame relevant property, requiring a recalculation of the rate at the last ten-year anniversary (1 January 2017)Ìý

  • that the proportionate charge arises on 6 April 2025 and so there have been 33 quarters since the last ten-year anniversary on 1 January 2017.