Inheritance Tax Appeal

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled today that two elderly sisters, who have lived all their lives together, are not discriminated against under UK inheritance tax rules. According to the Herald it was upheld that national governments have some discretion over taxation. I have no doubt that legally this was the correct decision, but I have a great deal of sympathy for the two women, one of whom will lose their home to pay inheritance tax when the other dies.

Inheritance tax isn't particularly fair to single parents who are not on the breadline either - or rather to their children who may loose out when only one parent can utilise the inheritance tax allowance.