Beyond the non-dom era: why your Will should be central to UK wealth planning

Steve Thompson
Nov 18
3 min read

Steve Thompson Founder & CEO @ ATLAS BRIDGE WEALTH | Boutique cross-border financial advisory | Europe & Middle East | Chartered Fellow CISI®

November 18, 2025

By Atlas Bridge Wealth

When the UK formally ended the non-domicile tax regime in April 2025, the change signalled far more than a technical tax reform. It marked the end of a century-old framework that shaped how globally mobile individuals structured their wealth.

The UK has now entered a residence-based tax system, a complete shift in how personal wealth is assessed, taxed, and ultimately passed on.

A New World: UK Residence Now Means Global Tax Exposure

From April 2025, anyone who becomes UK-resident is taxed on their worldwide income and gains. After a period of residence, your worldwide assets may also fall within the scope of UK Inheritance Tax (IHT).

This change does not only affect the ultra-wealthy. It impacts:

UK expats returning home
International families with multi-jurisdictional assets
Business owners with overseas interests
Individuals with property in more than one country

Transitional measures are in place, but they are temporary. Wealth planning now requires a more deliberate, structured approach.

Why Your Will Matters More Than Ever

Under the old non-dom regime, estate planning often revolved around trusts, offshore structures, and the remittance basis. Those tools have been restricted, and in many cases, removed.

Today, the simple Will has become one of the most powerful documents in your entire wealth plan.

Your Will is no longer a formality. It is a strategic instrument.

Three Critical Functions of a Will in the Post-Non-Dom UK

1. It defines what the law cannot.

A Will allows you to articulate exactly who inherits what, in which jurisdiction, and under what conditions. Without it, the state decides, often in ways that are inefficient and misaligned with your wishes.

2. It gives executors a roadmap for cross-border complexity.

For internationally mobile families, probate can span multiple countries with conflicting legal systems. Your Will provides clarity, structure, and authority.

3. It allows you to respond deliberately to the new tax environment.

A Will can integrate smart planning such as:

structuring bequests
managing timing of disposals
factoring in reliefs and exemptions
planning internationally for both UK and foreign rules

HMRC now has a broader claim on the wealth of UK residents. Without a Will, that claim is executed with maximum efficiency for the state, and minimum regard for your intentions.

We Are Entering a New Era of Private Wealth Structuring

For globally connected individuals, estate planning is no longer simply about passing on wealth, it’s about doing so under multiple tax systems, legal regimes, and family expectations.

A modern Will must:

reflect international lifestyles
anticipate multi-jurisdictional probate
align with updated UK tax law
protect wealth across borders
bring clarity to your family at a difficult time

In today’s environment, the Will is not the final step in planning—it is the foundation.

How Atlas Bridge Wealth Helps

At Atlas Bridge Wealth, we support UK nationals in Portugal, internationally mobile families, and returning UK residents with tailored cross-border planning.

We assist clients in:

creating UK-specific Wills
drafting multi-jurisdictional Will strategies
integrating IHT and wealth-transfer planning
ensuring alignment between Portugal, UK, and other jurisdictions
coordinating with legal partners for trust or estate structures where appropriate