Eleanor Evans TEP, Partner and Head of Trusts and Estates Administration, summarises recent inheritance tax changes and proposals for reform of wills law, and how these will impact on charitable legacies.
Professionals in the charity legacy sector are preparing for significant legislative developments in two key areas. First, the Autumn 2024 Budget has introduced major changes to inheritance tax (IHT), including the treatment of pensions. Second, the Law Commission’s May 2025 report has set out proposals for modernising the Wills Act 1837. Both of these changes will shape the environment for legacy fundraising, estate planning, and the administration of charitable gifts. Charities, and those who advise them, will need to understand how these reforms might affect both supporters and legacy income.