United Kingdom
Editorial writing on United Kingdom from The Family Office Almanac.
Badenoch pledges to take family homes out of inheritance tax. For large estates, the taper is the detail to watch.
On 7 October 2026 the Conservative leader promised that no one would pay inheritance tax on a family home left to children or grandchildren, plus a further £1m tax-free allowance for couples. It is an opposition pledge, published without detail, three weeks before a Labour Budget.
Multiple home ownership is creating new challenges for family offices
Wealthy families now move between homes across several countries, most of them empty for much of the year. Jo Eccles, a London buying agent and property manager, on why running those portfolios has outgrown the in-house model.
69,000 people told HMRC they were leaving. The wealthy mostly use a different form.
P85 departure notices rose 32% to 69,000 in 2025/26, according to HMRC data published by UHY Hacker Young on 29 September 2026. The form is built for employees reclaiming PAYE, which limits what it says about wealthy leavers.
HMRC has given every UK billionaire a named handler. Advisers are asking what it is entitled to see.
HM Revenue and Customs wrote to every billionaire with a UK tax footprint over the summer, appointing a customer compliance manager to each. The pushback became public on 24 September 2026, and it is a question about statutory authority, not about willingness to pay.
Britain's third-largest taxpayer is reported to be moving to Athens
Bloomberg reported on 8 September 2026 that Chris Rokos is preparing to shift his tax residency to Greece. One departure proves nothing about a wealth exodus, but the mechanics of the move are worth reading closely.
Ortega's family office bought 86 London flats for £150m. Nobody noticed for six months.
Pontegadea's first UK rented residential purchase surfaced in Companies House filings in August, half a year after it completed. The disclosure lag matters as much as the deal.
EFG sells its Midlands business to Canaccord and puts its UK arm on HNW and UHNW clients only
Canaccord Wealth has agreed to acquire the front office teams and client assets of EFG Harris Allday, a 175-year-old Midlands wealth manager with £3.1 billion under management. EFG says its UK region will now serve high and ultra-high net worth clients.
BKL buys music accountancy firm Dales Evans, its fifth deal since taking private equity money
London advisory firm BKL has acquired Dales Evans, a specialist music, media and entertainment accountancy practice. It is BKL's fifth acquisition since CBPE invested in 2023, and another boutique adviser absorbed into a backed consolidator.
What we are reading about family offices
No noise, no selling. A measured take on what's moving across family offices and private wealth.