Manchester-based Financial Planner Depledge Strategic Wealth Management has seen a six-fold increase in enquiries from legal firms in the first four months of 2026 compared to previous years, it has reported.
The surge comes as probate, family and estate planning lawyers realise how financially exposed clients could be under the Government’s new inheritance tax regime could see tax rates on unspent pension pots leap from 0% to as much as 81% from April 2027, Depledge says.
Andrew Day, founder and CEO of Depledge Strategic Wealth Management said: “This is a seismic change that many people are currently unaware of. Those who are, including lawyers looking to safeguard their clients’ assets across generations, are waking up to this issue and contacting us.
“In the first four months of a typical calendar year, we would expect some contact with law firms, however, this year we are meeting with six new firms. I was sat in a meeting with a potential client introduced from one law firm the other day when my phone rang and it was another law firm wanting to introduce another client to see if we could help them too.”
Depledge Strategic Wealth Management is a family wealth management specialist advice firm based in Manchester. A 17-strong team of CISI-accredited Financial Planners manage £315m of assets under advice.
The report echoes recent anecdotal evidence that large numbers of clients are contacting planners because of concerns about potential tax bills of 40% on their estates from April.
Financial Planners working for wealth and investment manager Rathbones have also reported a surge in enquiries about the looming imposition of Inheritance Tax on unused pensions in 10 months' time.
The company says in response clients are increasingly using pensions to fund gifting and supporting family earlier. Some two-thirds (67%) of parents and grandparents say the reforms are also prompting lifetime support for education costs.