Glossary · Tax
Nil-rate band
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Definition: The £325,000 per-person Inheritance Tax allowance, frozen until April 2030. Estates within this amount pay no IHT.
The nil-rate band has been £325,000 since 2009. Any unused band transfers to a surviving spouse or civil partner and is added to their own NRB at the second death.
Lifetime gifts in the 7 years before death use up the NRB first, in chronological order. Once the band is exhausted, the excess is taxed at 40% (or 36% if at least 10% of the net estate passes to charity).
Primary source: gov.uk/inheritance-tax