Average house prices in 236 postcode districts in England and Wales were above the IHT threshold compared to 117 postcode districts five years ago, the research revealed.
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Sales above the IHT threshold accounted for at least 25 per cent of property sales in 423 postcode districts across England and Wales in 2006.
Halifax also indicated that 22 postcode districts reported a 25 per cent increase in the proportion of home sales above the IHT threshold since 2001.
Tim Crawford, group economist at Halifax, said: “We call on the government to raise the IHT threshold to £460,000. That would account for the significant rise in house prices over the past 11 years. We also call on the government to commit to increasing the IHT threshold in line with house price inflation in the future.
“We don’t dispute the right of the government to collect IHT. We do believe that an asset should be taxed at a fair value.”
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Halifax calculated that IHT revenue totalled £16.4 billion over the past five years, up more than 50 per cent from the £10.8 billion raised in the previous five years.
Simon Webster, managing director at Facts & Figures Financial Planners Ltd, said: “I agree thresholds should be increased. However, Roy Jenkins once said IHT is a voluntary levy paid by those who distrust their heirs more than they dislike the Inland Revenue. While Gordon Brown has worked hard to close many of the planning options available there are still ways of mitigating the burden of IHT.”
