Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how he plans to take (a) widows and widowers and (b) other people out of inheritance tax where the family home is the main asset; and if he will make a statement.

The Government has commitment to take the family home out of inheritance tax for all but the richest with a new transferable main residence allowance of £175,000 per individual in addition to the inheritance tax nil-rate band, which is currently set at £325,000 for individuals.

This creates an effective £500,000 inheritance tax threshold for individuals in certain circumstances. Any unused main residence allowance or nil-rate band for each individual would be transferred to their surviving spouse or civil partner, which is in line with existing principles and means the effective inheritance tax threshold will rise to £1 million in certain circumstances once the policy is introduced.