Kemi Badenoch says a Conservative government would scrap inheritance tax on the family home and let couples pass on £1m more tax-free. Fair to families, or a giveaway?

What happened

In her keynote speech at the Conservative conference in Birmingham on 7 October, Kemi Badenoch said the next Conservative government would legislate so nobody ever pays inheritance tax on their family home, and that couples could pass on an additional £1 million tax-free. She said every inheritance tax bill would be cut and the number of families paying would fall by more than half. One report puts the cost at about £6bn, to come from a wider package of savings including welfare cuts. She said full abolition would have to wait until it was affordable.

Why people disagree

Supporters say the money that bought a home has usually been taxed already, that thresholds frozen for years have pulled ordinary families into a tax meant for the very rich, and that passing a home to your children shouldn't be penalised. Critics say the gain goes mostly to wealthier estates, especially in London and the south of England, that it could encourage people to hold more of their wealth in property, and that the money is needed elsewhere.

What's still unclear

The £6bn cost is a single estimate rather than an official costing, and it isn't clear exactly which savings would pay for it. The Conservatives also trail in the polls, so whether they'll get the chance to deliver it is an open question.