Why has there been a rise in inheritance battles and disputes between family members

Yes, but the rise is in families starting a fight rather than finishing one in court. Caveats, a cheap filing that freezes probate, were about 55 per cent higher last year than in 2019, at 11,328, according to HMCTS figures obtained by Irwin Mitchell. High Court claims were flat on 2024, at 126.

Blended families and DIY wills play a part, but money is the main driver. The tax-free threshold has been stuck at £325,000 since 2009, and inheritance tax receipts have risen from £3.5bn in 2006/07 to £8.5bn in 2025/26.

The tax bill does not wait for the family to agree. It is due by the end of the sixth month after the month of death, HMRC charges interest from then, and while a caveat stands there is no grant of probate, so the house cannot be sold to pay it.

Lifetime gifts are the other flashpoint. A gift made in the seven years before death is set against the £325,000 first, so the sibling who got help with a deposit can leave the rest of the family with a bigger tax bill.

Inheritance disputes rarely start when someone dies. They're often decades in the making, fuelled by poor communication, perceived favouritism and family grievances that have never been resolved.

I've seen clients receive money believing it was a gift, only to discover it was documented as a loan and deducted from their inheritance, while siblings had received outright gifts.

Disputes also arise over who inherits the family home, treasured possessions or charitable donations that other relatives oppose.

Larger estates, rising property values and inheritance tax liabilities raise the financial stakes, while second marriages and blended families add complexity.

Money doesn't necessarily create family divisions. It exposes the ones already there.

The solution is transparency, clear documentation and difficult conversations while everyone is still alive and in the right ming. Silence can be the most expensive inheritance mistake of all!

The rising cost of living has certainly not helped resolve disputes among family members trying to secure their own futures and those of their families. People increasingly use inheritance as part of their financial planning, even before the event, as more people, regardless of class, struggle to make ends meet.