Non-Resident Landlords and UK Inheritance Tax: What You Owe and How to Plan
UK residential property is always within UK IHT under IHTA 1984 s.6, regardless of the owner's residence: a non-resident landlord's UK estate above the nil-rate band of £325,000 is taxed at 40% on death. From 6 April 2025, FA 2025 s.44 (Schedule 13) abolished the old deemed-domicile rule (IHTA 1984 s.267) and replaced it with the long-term residence (LTR) test in the new IHTA 1984 s.6A: landlords UK-resident for 10 or more of the preceding 20 tax years are within UK IHT on worldwide assets, not just UK property. The tail period to lose LTR status scales from 3 years (13 or fewer prior UK-resident years) to 10 years (all 20 years). Offshore structures provide no IHT shelter on UK residential property: IHTA 1984 Schedule A1 (in force since 6 April 2017) applies a look-through to any offshore close company or partnership where a 5% or more interest is held.
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