IHTM17044 | Pensions: IHT charges: contributions to another person’s pension scheme

From HM Revenue & Customs · Inheritance Tax Manual

There may be a transfer of value if a contribution is made to a pension scheme which provides or will provide benefits for people other than the transferor. It is effectively a lifetime gift and will be exempt or chargeable in the same way as any other gift (). The situations where such a contribution is not chargeable are, most commonly, where:

  • the pension scheme is for the benefit of the spouse or civil partner of the transferor ().

  • the transfer falls within the normal expenditure out of income exemption in ().

  • it is excluded from being a transfer of value () because it is a contribution by an employer in respect of an employee under

  • a registered pension scheme (),

  • a qualifying non-UK pension scheme (), or

  • a section 615(3) scheme ().