IHTM27104 | Foreign property: money from a life policy: policies under seal

From 6 April 2025, for inheritance tax purposes, domicile is replaced by long-term UK residence and you can find details of these rules at IHTM47000.

Policies by way of deed or under seal are specialty debts (IHTM27079). Where the policy holder is non-UK domiciled (to 5 April 2025) or not a long- term UK resident (from 6 April 2025) and there is no evidence to suggest the location of the policy documents has been artificially arranged, HMRC will treat such policies as situated where the deed is to be found.

Most Lloyds policies are embossed with a seal but they are not specialty debts unless they also bear the witnessed personal signature of the General Manager of Lloyds Policy Signing Office. Lloyds policies that do not bear this signature are chargeable to Inheritance Tax in the country where the debtor (the company) resides (IHTM27101).