Analysis of the latest HMRC data by Utmost Wealth Solutions shows that 835,000 trusts and estates were registered with the Trust Registration Service (TRS) as of 29 August 2025. Around one in seven of these were added in the last financial year, highlighting a sharp rise in new registrations.
The growth is largely being driven by fiscal drag caused by the inheritance tax (IHT) nil-rate band, which has remained frozen at £325,000 since 2009. As property prices and asset values continue to climb, more estates are being pulled into the IHT net.
Marc Acheson, global wealth specialist at Utmost Wealth Solutions, says the increase in trust usage is unsurprising. With the nil-rate band frozen for more than 15 years and the tax base steadily widened through policy changes, more families are becoming liable for IHT and are using trusts to manage succession and reduce long-term tax exposure.
Forecasts suggest IHT receipts could reach £14.5bn by 2030–31, with around one in ten estates expected to face a tax charge. Recent policy changes have added to the momentum, including tighter limits on agricultural and business property reliefs and proposals to bring unused pension funds into the scope of IHT on death.