There are many bad things in life.
On the one hand, government says "work hard! save money! give your kids a head start!" and on the other it says "fuck you, we're having half your stuff when you die".
Thought experiment: what would happen if we all lived forever?
As it happens, inheritance tax in the UK is a growth industry.
Avoiding it, that is. People simply disperse their estates (financially speaking) before they snuff it. At time of death, estate is below the threshold, and the government gets sweet fuck all - which is only right. "Just because you're dead" isn't a good reason to tax people.
