Do these figures cover Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Yes. Unlike some registers, the Trust Registration Service is run by HMRC across the whole of the UK, so the figure of around 835,000 open trusts and estates for the period up to 31 March 2025 is a UK-wide count covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (HMRC December 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). The way trusts themselves work can still differ between the nations, particularly in Scotland, where trust and succession law is not identical to England and Wales. Where planning touches more than one nation, it can be worth taking advice in each. For the wider picture, see our estate planning guide.
Sources and methodology
Every figure on this page comes from a named official source, verified against the published document and dated at its point of use. HMRC presents its trust figures as rounded estimates. The register totals are cumulative counts of trusts and estates recorded as open on the TRS as at a stated position date; registration and tax-return figures cover the reporting period. The one-year change is stated as an arithmetic difference between two published totals.
- HMRC, Statistics on trusts in the UK, December 2025: trusts and estates registered and open (~835,000, period to 31 March 2025), new registrations remaining open (~121,000), share non-taxable (~78%), Self Assessment returns (~157,500, tax year ending 2024; ~161,000, tax year ending 2017), Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax payable (~£1.62 billion, tax year ending 2024).
- HMRC, Statistics on trusts in the UK, November 2024: trusts and estates registered and open (~733,000, period to 31 March 2024) and new registrations remaining open (~115,000, 12 months to 31 March 2024).
- gov.uk, trusts and Income Tax: trust rate on most income (45%), dividend trust rate (39.35%) and standard rate band (£500).
- gov.uk, register a trust as a trustee: the TRS and who must register.
All sources as at July 2026 and subject to change. Statistics are drawn directly from the named HMRC publications, are rounded estimates and may be revised by the publisher.
Frequently asked questions
How many trusts are registered in the UK?
HMRC recorded around 835,000 trusts and estates registered on the Trust Registration Service and still open for the period up to 31 March 2025 (HMRC Trust Statistics, December 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). That total is UK-wide, because the TRS is operated by HMRC across all four nations, and it combines trusts with a smaller number of estates.
Is that trusts, or trusts and estates combined?
It is trusts and estates combined. The Trust Registration Service records both, so the figure of around 835,000 for the period up to 31 March 2025 is not trusts alone (HMRC Trust Statistics, December 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). Estates are a much smaller share, with around 8,000 estates registered and recorded as open in the latest year, so most of the total is trusts.
Why is the number growing so quickly?
The register has grown partly because the duty to register was widened to cover many non-taxable trusts, not just taxable ones. Around 78% of the roughly 121,000 new registrations in the year to 31 March 2025 were non-taxable trusts (HMRC Trust Statistics, December 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). Growth can vary year to year, so past increases do not guarantee the same pace ahead.
How many trusts actually pay tax?
Far fewer than are registered. Around 157,500 trusts and estates filed Self Assessment returns in the tax year ending 2024, well below the roughly 835,000 on the register, and together they had around £1.62 billion of Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax payable (HMRC Trust Statistics, December 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). Many registered trusts do not generate a yearly tax charge.
Do these figures include Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Yes. The Trust Registration Service is run by HMRC across the whole of the UK, so the count of around 835,000 open trusts and estates for the period up to 31 March 2025 covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (HMRC Trust Statistics, December 2025, as at July 2026, subject to change). How trusts operate can still differ between the nations, particularly in Scotland.
Where can I check the very latest number?
HMRC publishes its Statistics on trusts in the UK release, usually once a year, and the register total is a snapshot for the period ending 31 March, so the most current official figure appears there (gov.uk, trusts statistics collection, as at July 2026, subject to change). Because it is a periodic snapshot, the live total between releases is not separately published, and any figure quoted elsewhere may be out of date.
About Fairchild Oldfield
The Fairchild Oldfield team brings together estate planning, tax, independent financial advice and client care, working with families across England and Wales.
Fairchild Oldfield are estate planning specialists and will writers, not a firm of solicitors. This article is general information based on practical experience, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Important: This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Reading it does not create a professional relationship. It is based on the law of England and Wales, and other UK jurisdictions may differ. Figures and rules are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change. Before acting, many people choose to seek advice from a suitably qualified professional, such as a solicitor, a STEP practitioner, an accountant, or an FCA-authorised financial adviser, who can consider your individual circumstances.
