To think it’s unfair that some people get inheritance while others start with nothing?

I fully expect to not inherit anything from either of my (divorced) parents but I still think YABU. That’s just how life is really isn’t it? I’ve always worked in minimum wage jobs after not going on to further education as amongst other things, I wasn’t lucky enough to have parents who gave a shit about my education to give me the best start in life. I don’t begrudge those who have done financially better than I have in life though, it’s just how things turned out.

On the flip side, I haven't died young like some of the people I went to school with, and my children are healthy (ND but healthy), whereas one of my best friends has a child having gruelling treatment for cancer.

It's tax evaders that I think the general ire should directed towards and successive govt of both varieties mismanaging and choosing the wrong priorities.

100% ! Whenever the government is talking about cutting taxes, they always mean cutting taxes for the corporations which make billions. When they speak of raising taxes, it's the 99% of the ordinary folk that ends up paying more and more taxes, most of which are either misused, wasted either in various inefficiencies, pointless initiatives or war of one kind or another.

The super wealthy for the government are usually those on salaries of £50-60k or tiny businesses with turnover of 300k but not Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Google and the like that make billions while avoiding their full taxes by registering themselves in what they would consider "tax efficient" jurisdictions. And there is no government that wants to talk about that, let alone tackle the issue properly because it's the amazons, microsofts and apples of this world that lobby our politicians, donate to their campaigns etc, so that the government in the end can legislate and regulate in their favour in return.

In the end those corporations and their owners who get tax credits even in areas where they don't pay any tax while the ordinary folk continues to believe that their lives would be better and more equal if someone wasn't able to leave the house he paid for all his life to his kids.

This is nonsense.

IHT raises £7b a year. This is a drop in the ocean of £1098b the government raked in last year.

Instead consider a wealth tax or some other tax for more even distribution of wealth if you feel things are unfair.

Theres no doubt things are unfair but compulsory 100% tax of all wealth on the death of every individual would kill off a lot of economic activity. People would think why bother.

This is a communist type policy. Been there, got the t-shirt, it didn’t work.

What a tedious and smug post! You are basically saying that if you're not rolling in money, that you must have been a lazy shirker, who has simply not worked HARD enough.

Many people work hard, and don't get the same breaks as others do. Congratulations to your wealthy parents, for doing so well, and also congratulations to YOU - because you're going to have a big fat inheritance from them. At least you can sail though life, never having to lift a finger eh? 😎 Because you can live a life of luxury on the inheritance you receive from mummy and daddy! 😃

Woo hoo!

Do we differentiate between people who sacrificed, saved and invested to leave something for their children v people who spend money frivolously throughout their lives and have nothing left to leave for their children?

Yes it is unfair, life is unfair..
However, I do think inherited wealth is the cause of a lot of heartache and rifts in families and there are a lot of people who seem to think it is their right to inherit, therefore they don’t have to work hard themselves.
I do think it is pretty pathetic when you see people clearly waiting to pounce when relatives are frail and elderly. Make your own money, then you aren’t f**ked if life doesn’t go to plan!

Yep, see @Eightdayz post that I quoted! ^

Nope, it's the fact that brick pig now has a house to pass on as he made good choices and sacrificed stuff that straw pig didn't.

I mean it wasn't fair that my parents both worked but didn't have much to pass on but that doesn't mean that i shouldn't be able to pass stuff to my DC that I've saved. And that if it is changed so that it all goes to the govt it's hardly fair to start that now when I could have made different choices earlier.

Life just isn't fair and as long as people are paying their way, raising decent citizens and supporting those who need help then why shouldn't they be able to pass stuff to their own DC? At the end of the day nature is about ensuring continuity of your own genes so at a brutal level that's what people try to do.

I think programs to ensure that all Dc get the best start and a decent education is a better way to go than penalising people who are already contributing.

Sorry I’ve not read the full thread but Mumsnet is full of people moaning that things are ‘not fair’ at the moment isn’t it? It’s not fair that some people can work from home, it’s not fair that some jobs pay more than others, it’s not fair that married people get rights that non married people don’t have, it’s not fair that some people get inheritance.

It’s like the bloody school playground, do people not grow up into adults anymore?

Exactly. It’s the wealthy corporations and their owners who should be paying more in tax.

No one needs an annual salary of £295m like the Bet365 gambling lady CEO.

It’s people like this, all the billionaires who should be paying more, during their lifetimes.

private wealth is at an all time high. Public wealth at all time low.

A wealth tax makes the most sense and it is being discussed globally…

Obviously a troll. Or a bitter person who won't inherit much. Or make much to leave to anyone. Not suprising they haven't come back.

Life is unfair. People who often get big inheritances have lost loved ones. Life is not fair. Get over it.

I agree life is unfair.
People who do not get inheritances have also lost loved ones

No, people who didn't inherit have immortal parents so it works out fair in the end.

True, that is how some people act. With all the - I would rather have the persona live. That goes for most of us. I would much rather have my parents alive. Everyone with decent family feels that way

@PlopSofa Politics of envy rarely work. Why should the better educated and higher earning people pay even more than they do? Look at the costs of benefits. The low paid get those, paid for by others. My DH employed a lot of people. He created wealth. We cannot just tax tax tax and think it won’t stifle business. It will.As Rachel Reeves is finding out.

People can, and do, get qualifications and attain better jobs throughout a lifetime. It’s not just down to your parents’ beliefs. You have to want a better job and get what you need to do it. There’s few who need to do very lowly paid jobs. It’s better to have ambition but no one will bother if they cannot pass most of it on.

Someone having parents that were unable, for whatever reason, to provide them with an inheritance is not the fault of other people who had parents who were able to provide them with an inheritance.

Keep up.

I thought that too and was trying to work out if it's already half term somewhere in the country. It's like being in the middle of a bloody sixth form common room here sometimes.

My gran and grandpa were not privileged. He was a Miner, she was a Nurse but they worked a saved so they could live comfortably and pass money on when they died. Would you begrudge them that? My Grandpa fought in a war to allow people to choose what to do with their own money. Away and sort yourself out!

Grow up: life is unfair and always has been.

Yes it’s completely unreasonable!! Some people have worked really hard and came from nothing to give their children a leg up! How can you justify heavily tax it? It’s already taxed in the UK and the majority of the countries. Now if you are talking about billionaires that’s a different story and their are many arguments as to why they shouldn’t be able to accumulate that much money.

I’m in the 1% and I want a wealth tax. Things have never been so bad in my lifetime. I approve of the greens In Scotland and their policy on this. It’s the only way for things to change.

Not sure why you’re addressing me.

I don’t want any changes to IHT. Well I’d like it abolished to be honest. Your should not be taxed on your death. You’ve already paid tax on all those earnings. Why pay again.

Not the problem of those who do get an inheritance, though, is it?

Life is unfair in every way. Most of us work hard so the people we love can be looked after when we are gone. It doesn't always go that way but like everything you adjust to the hand you get dealt!

I live in hope I'll get some inheritance one day, highly unlikely as my mum has Alzheimer's and will no doubt need to go in a care home towards the end of her disease but IF I do get something however small, it would have made the last 5 years helping to care for her and the stress and heartache that brings, all worth it.

And if I do get something I know exactly what I'll spend it on but as others have said, life is unfair so I am certainly not banking on anything.