This research explored the prevalence of gifting in the general population and how it varied between different groups, based on a new quantitative survey was conducted with a representative sample of adults in Great Britain. The survey also explored the nature of gifting – including the number and value of gifts given, who they were given to, and the motivations for doing so – as well as awareness of inheritance tax rules and exemptions.
The findings in this report cover:
- the incidence of recent gifting, and lifetime gifting, in the general population
- how the incidence varies by different demographic characteristics – such as age, wealth, income, marital status and whether or not the individual had children
- the nature of gifting behaviour and the reasons for this gifting
- awareness of inheritance tax rules and exemptions and their impact on behaviour
Authors
Senior Economist
Stuart is a Senior Economist working in the Tax sector, and focuses on analysing the design of the tax and benefit system.
Martin Wood
Alice Dolton
Curtis Jessop
Report details
- Publisher
- HMRC
Suggested citation
Adam, S et al. (2019). Lifetime gifting: reliefs, exemptions and behaviours. London: HMRC. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/lifetime-gifting-reliefs-exemptions-and-behaviours (accessed: 25 April 2024).
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