I contacted HMRC in Nottingham today regarding an IHT100 submitted in February this year and was told that they are dealing with February post at this moment so I should receive a response in the next couple of weeks. Is this other people’s experience and is there any quicker way?
Jeremy Crouch
Clintons
I would say 7 months isn’t bad for an IHT100 - I have known them to take twice as long. They just don’t have the trained staff to deal with IHT100s and as soon as they train any, the staff leave to earn more elsewhere. I do find, however, that if it’s something simple (such as where you have a 10-year anniversary, there’s no tax but you have to submit the form because the value exceeds 80% of the NRB), if you submit the form with a covering letter telling HMRC what you want them to do, the form is more likely to get picked up and worked by someone.
Lorna Sansom
Blandy & Blandy LLP
Last year HMRC told me their ‘target’ time for processing an IHT100 was 6 months, and on that basis 7 months sounds like a good result!
Unfortunately, they are still being sent far too many forms which are not be required under the excepted settlement/transfer rules, and it is clogging up the system.
David Hartles
Shipleys LLP
I’ve just had a tax calculation back from HMRC referring to a form and funds I sent to them in March!!
Fiona Dodd
Mayo Wynne Baxter