Most over-55s say they will continue to pass on their wealth through their wills and estates planning after death despite a rising number of inheritance disputes and concerns about rising taxation, new study has revealed.
Older savers say they are most likely to pass on wealth through traditional inheritance means rather than using lifetime gifting or other strategies, the study by Financial Planning firm and SIPP provider Mattioli Woods revealed.
The wealth manager commissioned research of more than 2,000 consumers in June this year to find out if inheritance plans had changed in the light of a rising number of disputes and plans by the government to impose inheritance tax on unused pensions from next April.
The survey found:
- 25% of over-55s have never discussed inheritance with their family
- 64% over 55s have witnessed family conflict over inheritance
- The Welsh were the most likely to have experienced inheritance-related disputes
Overall, the research undertaken by YouGov suggested that witnessing inheritance disputes is not prompting a significant shift towards gifting wealth during people's lifetimes.
Passing assets on through an estate remains the preferred approach for most over-55s, while combining lifetime gifts with inheritance is the second most popular strategy, Mattioli Woods said. Only a minority intended to transfer most of their wealth before they die.
The survey also revealed a poor level of conversation among families about inheritance, with one in four (25%) over-55s saying they have never openly discussed inheritance with their family.
Inheritance continues to be a major source of family conflict. Over six in 10 (64%) respondents over 55 say they have witnessed disputes among relatives or friends over inheritance, with arguments and damaged relationships by far the most common outcome. Many have also seen more serious disagreements escalate into formal legal disputes.
The experience of inheritance conflict varies across the UK. Wales has the highest proportion of people who have witnessed inheritance-related disputes (77%), followed by London (72%), Scotland (69%), the South East (71%), the South West (70%), and the East of England (63%). Yorkshire stands at 64%, the East Midlands at 58%, the West Midlands at 60%, while the North East and North West both stand at 58%.
The research also found that concerns about later-life care outweigh worries about Inheritance Tax. When asked about the biggest challenges in passing on wealth, over-55s ranked paying for care or other later-life costs ahead of Inheritance Tax, the risk of running out of money in retirement, treating beneficiaries fairly and the potential for family disputes.
Adeline Christy, wealth management director at Mattioli Woods, said: "Although inheritance disputes are remarkably common, they are not fundamentally changing how most people want to pass on their wealth. Leaving assets through an estate remains the preferred approach for many families, even among those who have seen first-hand the tensions inheritance can create.”
Mattioli Woods recently merged with Financial Planner Kingswood Group under a unified brand following their October 2025 merger. The combined business now has more than 30,000 clients and is responsible for assets under management of over £32 billion. Mattioli Woods has more than 200 financial advisers working from 40 UK offices.
• Research was carried out by YouGov with 2,174 UK adults between 1-2 June 2026