From the deceased's bank, savings or investment account

You can ask banks, building societies or investment providers to pay some or all of the Inheritance Tax due from the deceased person鈥檚 accounts. This is called the 鈥楧irect Payment Scheme鈥�.

Investment providers can include:聽

  • National Savings & Investments (NS&I)听
  • brokers investment firms
  • wealth management accounts

You can start this process before you鈥檝e got probate (known as 鈥榗onfirmation鈥� in Scotland).

  1. Ask the bank, building society or investment provider to make you a 鈥榩ersonal representative鈥� - each one will do this in a different way and some may not be part of the Direct Payment Scheme.

  2. Get your Inheritance Tax payment reference number.

  3. Fill in form IHT423 and send it to the bank, building society or investment provider. Send a separate form for each account you want to pay HMRC from.

  4. Send Inheritance Tax Account form IHT400 and any supplementary pages or supporting documents to HMRC. If you鈥檙e in Northern Ireland, include Probate Summary form IHT421. If you鈥檙e in Scotland, include Confirmation form C1.

Send the forms to the following address:

HM Revenue and Customs
Inheritance Tax Team
BX9 1HT

After you鈥檝e sent the forms

The bank, building society or investment provider will pay HMRC some or all of the Inheritance Tax owed.

What happens next depends on which country in the UK you鈥檙e in.

In England and Wales聽

HMRC will send you a unique code so you can apply for probate online.

In Northern Ireland and Scotland

HMRC will stamp and return Probate Summary form IHT421 (Northern Ireland) or Confirmation form C1 (Scotland) - this is confirmation that you鈥檝e got probate.