Inheritance Worries Put A Third Of Blended Families Off Remarriage

Inheritance worries are influencing some of the most personal decisions made by blended families, with more than one in three (35%) saying concerns around inheritance have made them less likely to remarry, according to new research from Rathbones.

This compares with 26% of people in families without children from previous relationships, highlighting the additional financial and emotional considerations that can arise when couples bring together children, assets and previous relationships.

Blended and step-families are a significant part of family life. The latest ONS Census figures show there were 781,000 step-families in England and Wales in 2021, including 547,000 with dependent children. Around 1.1 million dependent children, or 8.8% of all dependent children, lived in a step-family.

The research, conducted among 2,036 UK adults with at least £250,000 in investable assets, also points to an inheritance “fairness gap” within blended families. More than a quarter (26%) believe their inheritance plans are fair but say their partner disagrees, almost twice the 14% among families without children from previous relationships.

The findings come as Rathbones has seen an uptick in inheritance tax-related queries ahead of the April 2027 changes, when most unused pension funds and death benefits are set to be brought within the scope of inheritance tax. The change is giving families another reason to consider whether their existing estate arrangements remain appropriate.

Malvee Vaja, Chartered Financial Planner at Rathbones, says:

“Blended families can face a particularly difficult inheritance balancing act. People often want to make sure a new partner is financially secure while also protecting an inheritance for children from a previous relationship, and those aims do not always sit neatly together.

“You could almost think of it as an ‘inheritance pre-nup’ conversation. Couples entering a new marriage may increasingly need to talk openly about what happens to their wealth, how they want to provide for one another and, crucially, what they ultimately want their children to inherit.”

When equal doesn't necessarily mean fair

For blended families, deciding what constitutes a fair inheritance can be particularly complicated. Almost half (48%) describe inheritance planning as complex, compared with 35% of families without children from previous relationships, while 26% have experienced family conflict relating to inheritance planning, versus 14%.

That complexity is also reflected in how families plan to divide their wealth. While 85% of families without children from previous relationships intend to divide their inheritance equally among their children, this falls to 73% among blended families.

An equal division may not always feel like the fairest solution when families are balancing the needs of a current partner, children and stepchildren, different financial circumstances and wealth accumulated during previous relationships.

Almost a quarter (24%) of people in blended families also feel guilty about how they intend to divide their inheritance between family members, compared with just 13% of families without children from previous relationships.

While most inheritance disputes are resolved privately through solicitors, mediation or settlement, official figures point to a rise in the number that reach the High Court. Cases have increased for five consecutive years, reaching 127 in 2025, 76% more than in 2019.

Malvee Vaja adds:

“We hear from clients who are trying to strike exactly that balance. The difficulty is that what feels fair to one branch of the family may look very different to another. Having these conversations early and making your wishes clear can be just as important as the financial planning itself.”

April 2027 gives families another reason to review their plans

The research suggests the upcoming IHT changes are already prompting some blended families to revisit their arrangements.

Almost a third (32%) have reviewed their will, compared with 22% of families without children from previous relationships. Almost a quarter (23%) have adjusted their pension drawdown strategy, versus 18%, while 23% have established or used trust structures, compared with 14%.

Malvee Vaja, says:

“Against that backdrop, the pension-IHT changes have given blended families another reason to look under the bonnet of their estate plans. We’re seeing growing interest from clients in passing wealth down sooner, particularly to help children and grandchildren with university costs or getting onto the housing ladder, when the money can make the biggest difference."

“But there’s a balance to strike. You don’t want to give away money today that you may need for retirement or care tomorrow. With April 2027 approaching, the priority is to plan early, use existing allowances sensibly and avoid knee-jerk decisions driven by tax.”