Let ${\mathcal{A}}$ be a unital torsion-free algebra over a unital commutative ring ${\mathcal{R}}$. To characterise Lie $n$-higher derivations on ${\mathcal{A}}$, we give an identity which enables us to transfer problems related to Lie $n$-higher derivations into the same problems concerning Lie $n$-derivations. We prove that: (1) if every Lie $n$-derivation on ${\mathcal{A}}$ is standard, then so is every Lie $n$-higher derivation on ${\mathcal{A}}$; (2) if every linear mapping Lie $n$-derivable at several points is a Lie $n$-derivation, then so is every sequence $\{d_{m}\}$ of linear mappings Lie $n$-higher derivable at these points; (3) if every linear mapping Lie $n$-derivable at several points is a sum of a derivation and a linear mapping vanishing on all $(n-1)$th commutators of these points, then every sequence $\{d_{m}\}$ of linear mappings Lie $n$-higher derivable at these points is a sum of a higher derivation and a sequence of linear mappings vanishing on all $(n-1)$th commutators of these points. We also give several applications of these results.