{
  "id": 12683180,
  "title": "Badenoch’s inheritance tax gambit makes no economic sense | Heather Stewart",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/badenochs-inheritance-tax-gambit-makes-no-economic-sense-heather",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-07T17:16:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/oct/07/badenochs-inheritance-tax-gambit-makes-no-economic-sense"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kemi Badenoch, a Tory leader, proposed a radical change to inheritance tax rules, aiming to benefit the wealthiest families in the country. Critics argue that the economic sense of this policy is questionable, as it would cost the taxpayer £6bn and potentially hinder economic growth. The wealth of beneficiaries is expected to be very high, with fewer than 5% of estates liable for inheritance tax in 2023/24. Due to existing tax-free allowances, married couples can already pass on properties worth up to £1m without incurring any inheritance tax. The new proposal would allow couples to pass on even more valuable homes tax-free, leading to perverse incentives for older homeowners to maintain their valuable properties. This, in turn, could lead to reduced property sales, impacting young families and the overall economy. Critics also point out that the policy will eliminate about half of the £9bn forecasted revenue from inheritance tax this year, and could discourage downsizing, further straining the housing market.",
  "summary": "The Tory leader’s proposal to slash the tax would shovel £6bn of taxpayer money to the already-wealthy Kemi Badenoch’s inheritance tax gambit is a Conservative classic. After all, it was George Osborne’s high-profile pledge to “take the family home out of inheritance tax” in 2007 that put Gordon Brown off calling a snap general election. In practice, Osborne’s plan involved a £1m threshold for…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}