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IHT Forms

When a UK taxpayer dies, HMRC requires specific forms to report the estate and pay any Inheritance Tax due. The range of forms can feel overwhelming — there are many of them, they interact with each other, and the right combination depends entirely on the nature of the estate. This help sheet is a plain-English reference guide to the main forms, what each one is for, and when it is needed. It is not a guide to completing them — that is a job for a professional. But knowing which forms exist and why makes the administration process considerably easier to navigate.

The first question — excepted estate or full IHT estate?

Before any IHT form is completed, the first question is whether the estate qualifies as an excepted estate. This determines which reporting route applies — and for many estates, it determines whether a full IHT return is needed at all.

An excepted estate is one that falls below certain thresholds and meets specific conditions set by HMRC. For excepted estates, the reporting requirements are significantly lighter — in most cases, the executor confirms the estate is excepted as part of the probate application, without submitting a full IHT return to HMRC.

The rules around excepted estates changed significantly in January 2022. The thresholds were raised and the conditions simplified — meaning considerably more estates now qualify as excepted than previously. Many executors and families are still unaware of this change and assume a full IHT return is always required. It is not. The current excepted estate conditions are worth checking at the outset of any administration.

Excepted estate thresholds (broadly):

The estate is below the IHT threshold — typically where the net estate does not exceed £325,000, or £650,000 where a spouse or civil partner's unused nil rate band is available.

The estate qualifies for spouse or civil partner exemption and the net chargeable estate does not exceed £3 million.

The estate is below £325,000 after deducting liabilities and the value of foreign assets does not exceed £100,000.

These are broad summaries. The full conditions are set out in the Inheritance Tax (Delivery of Accounts) (Excepted Estates) Regulations 2004 as amended. Always verify the current position on GOV.UK or with a professional before concluding an estate is excepted.

If the estate does not qualify as excepted — because IHT is due, because the estate is above the relevant threshold, or because the conditions are not met — a full IHT return is required, using the IHT400 and the relevant supplementary pages.

GOV.UK — All IHT forms →

IHT205 — the short-form return (context only)

Before January 2022, executors of excepted estates were required to complete an IHT205 — a shorter return confirming the estate's position. This form was abolished as part of the 2022 reforms. Excepted estates no longer submit an IHT205. Instead, the relevant information is provided as part of the probate application. IHT205 is mentioned here for context only — some executors and advisers still refer to it, and it is worth knowing that it no longer applies to estates where the death occurred on or after 1 January 2022.

The main IHT return — IHT400

The IHT400 is the main Inheritance Tax account — the full return required where the estate is not an excepted estate. It sets out the full value of the estate, the deductions available, and the IHT liability. The IHT400 is submitted to HMRC and must be accompanied by the relevant supplementary pages covering the specific assets in the estate. It is a substantial document — running to many pages — and for most estates requires professional assistance to complete correctly.

The IHT400 must be submitted within twelve months of the end of the month in which the death occurred. IHT itself must be paid within six months of the end of the month of death — meaning tax is due before the return deadline. Interest runs on unpaid IHT from the six-month point. The Grant of Representation cannot be issued until at least the initial IHT payment has been made.

Supplementary pages — reference guide

The IHT400 is accompanied by supplementary pages — additional forms covering specific types of assets or reliefs. Not every supplementary page is needed for every estate. The pages required depend entirely on what the estate contains. The table below sets out the main supplementary pages, what each one covers, and when it is needed.

Form Name & When its needed

IHT421 — Probate summary
Required for all estates where a Grant of Representation is needed. Submitted alongside the IHT400 and confirms the IHT position to the Probate Registry so the Grant can be issued.

IHT402 — Claim for unused nil rate band from deceased spouse or civil partner
Used where the deceased's spouse or civil partner died before them and did not use their full nil rate band. Transfers the unused portion to the current estate, potentially doubling the NRB available.

IHT403 — Gifts and other transfers of value
Required where the deceased made gifts in the seven years before death — including potentially exempt transfers and chargeable lifetime transfers. Also used to claim the normal expenditure out of income exemption. Good gift records make this form considerably easier to complete.

IHT404 — Jointly owned assets
Required where the deceased owned assets jointly with another person — whether as joint tenants or tenants in common. Records the nature of the joint ownership and the value of the deceased's share.

IHT405 — Houses, land, buildings and interests in land
Required where the estate includes property — the family home, a buy-to-let, land, or any other interest in real estate. Records the nature of the ownership, the value, and any mortgage outstanding.

IHT406 — Bank and building society accounts
Required where the estate includes bank or building society accounts held in the deceased's sole name or as tenants in common. Records the institution, account type, and balance at the date of death.

IHT407 — Household and personal goods
Required where the estate includes personal possessions — furniture, jewellery, vehicles, art, collectibles. Records a valuation of household and personal effects.

IHT409 — Pensions
Required where the deceased had pension arrangements. Most pension death benefits pass outside the estate — but the form is needed to confirm the position and record any lump sum death benefits that may be chargeable.

IHT410 — Life assurance and annuities
Required where the deceased held life insurance or annuity policies. Policies written in trust pass outside the estate — those not in trust form part of the estate and must be declared.

IHT411 — Listed stocks and shares
Required where the estate includes shares listed on a recognised stock exchange — including AIM-listed shares. Records the holdings and their value at the date of death.

IHT412 — Unlisted stocks, shares and investments
Required where the estate includes shares or interests in private companies, unlisted securities, or investments not on a recognised exchange. May interact with Business Relief claims.

IHT413 — Business and partnership interests
Required where the deceased had an interest in a business — as a sole trader, partner, or shareholder — and Business Relief is being claimed. Records the nature of the business interest and the relief available.

IHT414 — Agricultural Relief
Required where the estate includes agricultural property — farmland, farm buildings, or a farmhouse — and Agricultural Property Relief is being claimed.

IHT416 — Debts owed to the estate
Required where money was owed to the deceased at the date of death — loans made to others, outstanding invoices, or other amounts due. These form part of the estate's assets.

IHT417 — Foreign assets
Required where the deceased held assets outside the United Kingdom — property abroad, foreign bank accounts, overseas investments. The IHT treatment of foreign assets depends on the deceased's domicile.

IHT418 — Assets held in trust
Required where the deceased was a beneficiary of a trust and had an interest in possession — meaning they were entitled to income from the trust assets. Those assets may form part of the taxable estate.

IHT419 — Debts owed by the deceased
Required where the deceased had outstanding liabilities at the date of death — mortgages, loans, credit card balances, unpaid bills. Allowable debts reduce the taxable value of the estate.

IHT423 — Direct payment from a bank or building society
Used where the executor wishes to pay IHT directly from the deceased's bank account before the Grant is issued — using the Direct Payment Scheme. Helps address the practical problem of needing funds to pay IHT before the Grant allows access to the estate.

IHT430 — Reduced rate of IHT for charitable donations
Used where at least 10% of the net estate passes to a qualifying charity — reducing the IHT rate on the remainder from 40% to 36%. Used to calculate and claim the reduced rate.

IHT435 — Claim for Residence Nil Rate Band
Used where the estate includes a residential property passing to direct descendants — children, grandchildren, stepchildren. Claims the RNRB, currently up to £175,000 per person.

IHT436 — Claim for transferable Residence Nil Rate Band
Used where the deceased's spouse or civil partner died before them and did not use their full RNRB. Transfers the unused RNRB to the current estate — potentially providing up to £350,000 of additional relief for a couple.

Timing — what needs to happen and when

Six months from the end of the month of death
IHT must be paid — or the first instalment where the instalment option applies. Interest runs on unpaid IHT after this point regardless of whether the full return has been submitted.

Before the Grant is issued
The initial IHT payment must be made before the Probate Registry will issue the Grant of Representation. HMRC must confirm receipt of at least an initial payment before probate can proceed.

Twelve months from the end of the month of death
The IHT400 must be submitted to HMRC. Penalties may apply for late submission. Note that this deadline falls after the payment deadline — tax is due before the return.

"The single most useful thing an executor can do early in the administration is gather information. Valuations, account balances, gift records, property details, pension statements. The IHT forms ask for all of it — and having it ready before the forms need to be completed saves significant time and stress at an already difficult moment."

Record keeping before death — why it matters

The quality of records kept during a lifetime directly affects how straightforward the IHT forms are to complete on death. Executors who inherit clear records — gift records, asset schedules, account details, property valuations — are in a very different position from those who have to reconstruct the picture from scratch. The IHT403, in particular, asks detailed questions about gifts made in the seven years before death. Without records, the executor may have no way of answering them accurately — and HMRC may challenge the return as a result.

Keeping a simple record of gifts made — the date, the amount, the recipient, and the exemption relied upon — takes very little time during a lifetime and can make a significant difference to the administration on death. The same applies to maintaining an up-to-date schedule of assets and their approximate values.

GOV.UK — All IHT forms →