Inheritance Tax Calculator

Estimate your UK inheritance tax liability for 2026/27. Your data never leaves your browser.

Yes
No
Your data never leaves your browser
Total estate £750,000.00
Nil-rate band (NRB) £325,000.00
Residence nil-rate band (RNRB) £175,000.00
Total allowances £500,000.00
Taxable estate £250,000.00
IHT rate applied 40%
Effective IHT rate on whole estate 13.3%
Inheritance tax due £100,000.00

IHT Quick Reference (Individual, No RNRB)

Estate Value Taxable Amount IHT at 40%
£325,000£0£0
£400,000£75,000£30,000
£500,000£175,000£70,000
£750,000£425,000£170,000
£1,000,000£675,000£270,000
£1,500,000£1,175,000£470,000
£2,000,000£1,675,000£670,000

How UK Inheritance Tax Works

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is paid on the value of a person's estate when they die, if it exceeds certain thresholds. The estate includes property, savings, investments, and possessions, minus any debts and funeral costs.

The nil-rate band (NRB)

Every individual has a nil-rate band of £325,000. Anything within this threshold is tax-free. This allowance has been frozen at £325,000 since 2009 and is set to remain at this level until at least April 2028.

The residence nil-rate band (RNRB)

An additional £175,000 is available if you leave your main home (or a share of it) to direct descendants, including children, stepchildren, adopted children, or grandchildren. The RNRB is capped at the value of the property being passed on.

RNRB = min(£175,000, value of home passed to descendants)

Transferable allowances for married couples

If your spouse or civil partner died and did not use all of their NRB and RNRB, the unused portion can be added to your estate's thresholds. This means a surviving spouse can potentially have up to £1,000,000 in combined allowances.

Maximum combined: £325,000 + £325,000 + £175,000 + £175,000 = £1,000,000

The RNRB taper

For estates worth more than £2 million, the RNRB is reduced by £1 for every £2 above this threshold. For a single person, the full £175,000 RNRB is completely removed once the estate reaches £2,350,000.

Tapered RNRB = max(0, RNRB - (estate - £2,000,000) / 2)

Charity relief

If 10% or more of the net estate (the amount above all nil-rate bands) is left to qualifying charities, the IHT rate drops from 40% to 36%. This means giving more to charity can sometimes reduce the overall tax bill for beneficiaries as well.

Inheritance Tax FAQs

What is the UK inheritance tax threshold for 2026/27?
The nil-rate band (NRB) is £325,000. If you pass your main home to direct descendants, you may also qualify for the residence nil-rate band (RNRB) of £175,000, giving a combined threshold of £500,000 for an individual or up to £1,000,000 for a married couple or civil partners.
What is the residence nil-rate band (RNRB)?
The RNRB is an additional £175,000 allowance available when you leave your main home (or a share of it) to direct descendants such as children or grandchildren. It is added on top of the standard £325,000 nil-rate band. However, it tapers away for estates worth more than £2 million.
Can I inherit my spouse's unused nil-rate band?
Yes. If your spouse or civil partner did not use all of their nil-rate band when they died, the unused portion can be transferred to your estate. This means a surviving spouse could have up to £650,000 in NRB and up to £350,000 in RNRB, for a combined tax-free threshold of £1,000,000.
How does the charity reduction work for IHT?
If you leave 10% or more of your net estate (after deducting all allowances) to qualifying charities, the IHT rate on the remaining taxable estate drops from 40% to 36%. This can result in a lower overall tax bill even though more of the estate goes to charity.
When does the RNRB taper apply?
The residence nil-rate band is reduced by £1 for every £2 that the total estate value exceeds £2 million. For a single person with the full £175,000 RNRB, it is fully tapered away at an estate value of £2,350,000. The standard nil-rate band of £325,000 is not affected by this taper.