Spike In "deathbed" Marriages Linked To Tax Planning

More than 1,600 couples applied for so-called "deathbed marriages" over the past year, with many seeking to avoid hefty inheritance tax bills, new figures reveal.

According to the General Register Office, 1,612 short-notice marriage applications were made in England and Wales in the year to March 31, 2025 – up from 1,420 in 2020-21. These ceremonies, often arranged when one partner is gravely ill and unlikely to recover, can be held at short notice or in places not normally licensed for weddings.

The data, released under a Freedom of Information request by wealth management specialists, highlights how couples use last-minute unions to protect finances.

Specialist solicitor, managing associate at wealth management specialists solicitors, said: "Marriage and civil partnerships unlock powerful tax benefits that are simply not available to cohabiting couples. When serious illness strikes unexpectedly, many couples feel forced into a last-minute wedding to protect their partner financially."

To proceed, couples may apply for a Registrar General's Licence if the ill partner cannot travel from their hospital or home. This permits weddings outside registered venues. Others can request a shortened waiting period, reducing the mandatory 28-day notice for weddings at licensed locations. Both require medical evidence.

In 2024-25, there were 785 Registrar General's Licence applications and 827 applications for shortened waiting periods. Some of the latter were linked to exceptional family circumstances, such as the serious illness of a close relative. Overall, the number of such applications has risen 13.5 per cent since 2020-21.

Whitestone Solicitors