To wonder why there isn’t public outrage about this?

[Blusterylimp]

If a couple isn’t married but own their property between them, the surviving one will need to pay inheritance tax on their partners half of the house (and other assets) if they die.
Effectively they will lose their home to pay the IHT unless they also have huge savings.
How can that be allowed in this day and age when so many couples cohabit without getting married?

The issue I have with this site is that so many posts of absolute nonsense are spouted like fact. The people offering advice have no qualifications beyond they are absolutely sure they 'know'. In most complicated situations there are many 'ah yeah buts' and I suppose all of us have to accept that we may have known something but things change. Unless it's an area of professional expertise, I'm afraid I count most people as knowing fuck all (of use), because they don't know, they just think they do.

We have an office 'pop quiz', Tricky technical detail asked of the whole room, the only difference is you can only answer if you're prepared to be sued and lose your job over it.

I for one volunteer at citizens advice, I'd start there is I needed advice but couldn't pay.

I think the OP is raising a really good point and shocking that most people on here don't know this.

I agree they should highlight this sort of thing. I've prevented someone taking out a massive insurance policy before to pay for IHT in 6 months when actually they had 10 years. As with anything there is good professional advice, and poor.

I'd almost be prepared to complain so they include it for future clients, it's an important point

Just get married fgs. Makes everything so much easier. Reeves is never going to change this in your favour even if everyone really were to be outraged. I love my DH dearly but it isn't the legal marriage that makes us committed. The legal marriage is a financial transaction to avoid IHT. We've taken other steps to avoid IHT for the kids (as much as possible so far - she'll be changing the rules again I imagine). Just accept there are some things you can't change and work with them. Good that you are informed though.

No, it is not 'a lot of couples don't want to get married', it is 'one partner in a couple does not want to get married, usually a higher earner'.

ALL estates are assessed for IHT, those that are passed to married partners carry 100% exemption. The ownership structure doesn't make any difference to IHT, only the ability to bequeath the asset

There are other commitments. An unmarried couple can (for example) arrange their financial affairs so that they are committed, all investments / savings / etc held jointly, or on trust for each other. Those commitments don't neccessarily affect IHT, though.

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This ^^

If that happens it is because the person did not state or specify who they consider to have NoK status, or wish to visit etc. If they put on their notes that their partner, friend or whoever is their emergency contact, the person they wish to be informed etc, then that is who the hospital will treat as NoK. If they don't, and if the patient has specified, then fight for the rights!

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/wills-and-probate/content/104016

There are some couples where, genuinely, neither's bothered. Although I agree there are a fair number of your type, too!

Because I don't want to be owned by a man.

I am mixed race, any time I visited my home country with my partner I would be considered his property and I wouldn't be allowed to leave the house without him.

If you want the benefits of marriage /civil partnership then they are available to you by getting married/civil partnered.

the problem is how would you define who would be eligible versus who wouldn’t if you don’t have a legal agreement.

Come on, you know the spiel. It is in the interest of public morality - a married stable union is best for the members of that union, offspring of that union and for the state, as it contributes to the stability. Why should the state encourage further moral decay by affording the same rights to sex partners as to a recognised union? That is why any murmurs of discontent are not encouraged by the state and hushed up.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS NEXT OF KIN!

The only people who have a right to make health & financial decisions are parents/guardians of underage children. No one else has this right, not even a spouse. Only POA gives that right.

I'm not married to my partner but our house is part of one of our limited companies so no inheritance tax as far as I'm aware.

Surely that's more a comment on your home country than the UK ?

Would a civil partnership be recognised in your country? If not, then get a civil partnership rather than married

And only parents who have PR (who bothered to turn up to sign the birth certificate).

There are plenty of alternative ways of dealing with this issue but they all involve some sort of cost.

This only affects a very small number of people. If there are no children (or the house is not left to the children) then this will affect people living in houses worth more than £650k (excluding any mortgage) - assuming there are not other large assets.

If the house is left to children then this affects people with a home worth more than £1 million.

For context, the average price of a home in England in Nov 2024 was £306k

Flats & maisonettes - £252k
Terraced houses - £256k
Semi-detached houses - £298k
Detached houses - £459k
.

OK, let's assume that you and your DP have no children and live in a £1 million house with minimal other assets (to keep things simple).

Suppose that your DP passes away and leaves an estate worth £500k (half of the £1 million house). In this situation there will be IHT to pay on £175k (500k - 325k) at 40% or £70k.

So you will need to have that £70k to pay the IHT. I would strongly suggest that you speak to somebody experienced in this area about how you can achieve this by planning ahead.

There is a body called the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Solicitors that have qualified to become members of this society really do have a great deal of knowledge and experience in this area. If you google something like "STEP solicitor [name of your town]" you will get a list of local solicitors.

It's a comment on one of the reasons why I don't want to get married.

Anyone can get married, this is one of the benefits.

@Blusterylimp

Gee, thanks @Spudthespanner IQ of 157 suggests otherwise

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Get married or don't OP. No one cares.

It does baffle me that people make massive, significant, life-changing decisions without thinking things through. I am a lawyer, so probably have a better than average understanding of most legal issues, but when it comes to specialist and important areas I get proper, careful advice so that I can sue someone if it goes wrong to understand and execute plans properly. I wouldn't attempt for a moment to do my own conveyencing, draft a will, set up a trust, anything of the sort.

Civil partnership … marriage by another name.

I would suggest that is one unique situation and your issue isn't marriage but the ridiculous rules of your home country that isn't applicable to the majority on this thread.