Inheritance Tax: Sisters Lose Case

Joyce and Sybil Burden, aged 90 and 82, have lost their case at the European Court of Human Rights, to be exempt from paying inheritance tax because they view themselves as a cohabiting couple and wanted the same tax arrangements as married and gay couples. They lost their case for unfair discrimination by 15 - 2 votes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7372555.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5336760.stm

This is so blatantly unfair that it beggars belief. Surely the government can do something to redress this particular case and should work towards abolition of inheritance tax.

"We nursed my mother and father and two of my aunts in this house until they died.

"We saved the government thousands of pounds. And this is how we are repaid."

It seems that the loving care that these sisters have dedicated to their family carries a huge financial burden; as they say they have saved the government thousands and this is how they are treated for their devotion.

I hope this isn't the end of the matter for them and they eventually get what's rightfully theirs.