{
  "id": 7126523,
  "title": "Reform hits back at Tory plan to ‘abolish inheritance tax’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/reform-hits-back-at-tory-plan-to-abolish-inheritance-tax",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-13T15:59:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/reform-hits-back-at-tory-plan-to-abolish-inheritance-tax/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Conservatives and Reform UK have sparred over a proposal to abolish inheritance tax, as Kemi Badenoch readies tax cuts for her election campaign. Badenoch is contemplating a pledge to abolish inheritance tax if the Tories secure victory in the next general election, potentially featuring prominently in her party conference speech next month, according to The Sun. This move would represent one of the most significant tax-cutting pledges by the Tory leader, following her commitment to abolish stamp duty on homes last year. However, Reform shadow chancellor Robert Jenrick dismissed the idea as a \"desperate play\", criticizing the Conservatives for previously promising to cut inheritance tax but failing to deliver. \"The Tories said they'd cut inheritance tax before, only to seize £84bn from grieving families in death taxes,\" Jenrick alleged. \"We've heard this desperate play, and people won't be fooled again.\" Reform is instead advocating for a broader income tax cut by raising the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000, claiming this would save 40 million people £500 a year and prevent some pensioners from paying income tax on their state pension. Jenrick vowed to resign if he couldn't introduce the measure in his first Budget as chancellor. Unlike many politicians in the Tory party, he stated he was willing to resign if he failed to deliver this in his first budget. Badenoch emphasizes tax cuts in her election strategy, with the party's approach to inheritance tax being \"weak on the economy\", according to a Conservative source. However, the party has not officially endorsed the proposal. \"We have not decided our policy platform for the conference,\" a Conservative spokesperson said. \"Kemi has made no secret of her desire to cut taxes, singling out inheritance tax as one of those taxes she wants to cut in a speech last week.\" The proposal emerges as inheritance tax has gained prominence in the political debate following changes bringing unused pension wealth under its scope from April 2027. Research by Rathbones found that over two-thirds of grandparents surveyed said inheritance tax considerations influenced their decision to help fund their grandchildren's university education.",
  "summary": "The Conservatives and Reform UK have clashed over plans to abolish inheritance tax as Kemi Badenoch prepares to put tax cuts at the heart of her pitch to voters. Badenoch is considering pledging to scrap inheritance tax if the Tories win the next general election, with the policy potentially forming the centrepiece of her party [...]",
  "key_points": [
    "Reform UK's Robert Jenrick criticizes Tory plan to abolish inheritance tax as a desperate play.",
    "Reform advocates for broader income tax cut, raising tax-free personal allowance to £15,000."
  ],
  "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."
}