Pension

Why inflation matters when funding pension funds

When planning pension funding, inflation is often acknowledged but not always fully reflected in contribution decisions. Using an average inflation rate of around 5% over recent years helps to illustrate why this matters so much. Even when inflation

Workplace pensions

Automatic enrolment for workplace pensions has helped many employees to start making provision for their retirement with employers and government also contributing to make a larger pension pot.

The law states that employers must automatically enrol

Inheriting Additional State Pension

The Additional State Pension is only available to those who reached the state pension age before 6 April 2016 and are receiving the Old State Pension. The Additional State Pension is an extra amount of money paid on top of the basic Old State

Autumn Budget 2025 – Pension changes

The Chancellor has kept the main pension allowances unchanged but has confirmed a new cap on salary sacrifice arrangements that will apply from April 2029.

There had been heated speculation that the Chancellor would change the pension rules to help

Check your State Pension forecast

Your State Pension forecast shows how much you could receive, when you can claim it, and how to boost it by filling National Insurance gaps.

The Check Your State Pension forecast service provides a way to understand your State Pension entitlement.

Tax relief for employer contributions to a pension scheme

Employers can generally claim tax relief on contributions made to a registered pension scheme by deducting those payments as an expense when calculating their business profits. This reduces the amount of taxable profit and therefore lowers the

What if your pension contributions are excessive?

You can claim tax relief on pension contributions up to 100% of earnings, but exceeding the annual allowance may trigger charges. Tax relief is paid on pension contributions at the highest rate of income tax paid.

The first 20% of tax relief is

What is the pension’s Money Purchase Annual Allowance?

The Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA) is a pension rule designed to prevent individuals from gaining double tax relief on pension contributions. It targets situations where someone withdraws money from their defined contribution pension pot and

Pension contributions, net pay or relief at source?

Your pension scheme type affects your tax relief. Workplace pensions offer tax benefits, but the method used, net pay or relief at source, changes how and when you get them. Your employer or pension provider should confirm which arrangement your

Check your State Pension forecast online

Get a clear view of your future pension. Use the enhanced online service to check, boost, or track your State Pension entitlement.

The enhanced Check Your State Pension forecast service is available online, offering a faster and more complete way to

Claiming tax relief on pension contributions

Private pension contributions can attract up to 45% tax relief, if you know how to claim it. Use your £60,000 annual allowance wisely and carry forward unused relief from past years to boost your retirement savings.

You can usually claim tax relief

Pension tax-free lump sums

Turning 55 soon? From April 2028, the minimum pension access age rises to 57. If you are planning to draw your pension, you could take up to 25% tax-free. Make informed choices about your remaining pot, as the rest will usually be taxed as income.

Higher rate tax relief on pension contributions

Want to make the most of your pension savings? You could claim up to 45% tax relief on contributions, plus carry forward unused allowances. Here’s how to boost your retirement pot with generous HMRC incentives.

Tax relief on private pension

Inheriting spouse’s State Pension

If your spouse or civil partner has passed away, you may inherit part of their State Pension, depending on when you reached pension age. Find out what you could claim, from basic pension boosts to deferred benefits and top-ups.

If you reached State

Tax on inherited private pension pots

Private pensions can be a great way to pass on wealth, but tax implications depend on the age of the deceased and the type of pension. Some beneficiaries may receive funds tax-free, while others could face significant tax charges. Knowing the rules

Pension fund withdrawal options

Most personal pensions set a minimum age at which you can start withdrawing money, typically not before age 55. Some pension benefits can be taken tax-free. Generally, you can withdraw 25% of your pension pot as a tax-free lump sum, with a maximum of

New brooms to deliver better pension frameworks

The Department for Work and Pensions has published an outline of the new Pensions Scheme Bill. There are three main objectives that the government want to achieve, and they are set out below. However, the process of consultation and redrafting that

Check your State Pension age

HMRC’s ‘Check your State Pension age’ tool is available at www.gov.uk/state-pension-age/y.

The online tool allows taxpayers to check the following:

the earliest age they can start receiving the State Pension;
their Pension Credit qualifying age;

Tracing lost pension details

An online service is available on GOV.UK at www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details to help people find their lost pension funds.

You can use this service to find contact details for:

your own workplace or personal pension scheme; or
someone

Higher rate relief pension contributions

You can typically claim tax relief on private pension contributions up to 100% of your annual earnings, subject to certain limits. Tax relief is applied at your highest rate of income tax, meaning:

Basic rate taxpayers receive 20% pension tax

Pension Credit action week

Pension Credits can provide extra income to those over State Pension age and on a low income. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently launched a Pension Credit action week to boost take-up of this vital benefit.

It is thought that up to

Could you claim Pension Credits?

Pension Credits can provide extra income to those over State Pension age and on a low income. The credits were first introduced back in 2003 to help keep retired people out of poverty.

The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a Pension

Check your State Pension forecast

The enhanced Check Your State Pension forecast service is available online. The service can be found on GOV.UK at the following webpage https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension.

The new digital service is a joint service by HMRC and the Department for

Pension contributions – claiming higher rate tax relief

You can usually claim tax relief on private pension contributions worth up to 100% of your annual earnings, subject to the overriding limits. Tax relief is paid on pension contributions at the highest rate of income tax paid.

This means that if you

Review your State Pension estimate

You can access the Check Your State Pension forecast service on GOV.UK via this link: https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension. This digital service is provided jointly by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work and Pensions

Check your State Pension forecast

The enhanced Check Your State Pension forecast service is now available online. The service can be found on GOV.UK at the following webpage https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension.

The new digital service is a joint service by HM Revenue and Customs

Claim tax relief on pension contributions

You can usually claim tax relief on private pension contributions worth up to 100% of your annual earnings, subject to the overriding limits. Tax relief is paid on pension contributions at the highest rate of income tax paid.

This means that if you

Workplace pension responsibilities

Automatic enrolment for workplace pensions has helped many employees make provision for their retirement, with employers and government also contributing to make a larger pension pot.

The law states that employers must automatically enrol workers

Tax on inherited private pensions

Private pensions can be an efficient way to pass on wealth, but it is important to consider what, if any, tax will be payable on a private pension you inherit. The person who died will usually have nominated you by telling their pension provider that

Pension Credit deadline

Pension Credits can provide extra income to those over State Pension age and on a low income. The credits were first introduced in 2003 to keep retired people out of poverty.

Pension Credit can top up:

your weekly income to £201.05 if you are

Tax relief on pension contributions

Taxpayers can usually claim tax relief for their private pension contributions. There is an annual allowance for tax relief on pensions of £60,000 for the current 2023-24 tax year. The annual allowance was £40,000 in 2022-23.

There is a three year

Tracking down lost pension details

Ever had a nagging feeling that you have a pension pot somewhere but have no idea how to track it down?

Well, there is a solution.

There is a search link on the GOV.UK website at https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details that will help.

The

Pension tax relief at source

You can usually claim tax relief for your private pension contributions. There is an annual allowance for tax relief on pensions of £60,000 for the current 2023-24 tax year. The annual allowance for 2022-23 was £40,000.

You can claim tax relief on

Overview of private pension contributions

You can usually claim tax relief for your private pension contributions. There is an annual allowance for tax relief on pensions of £60,000 for the current 2023-24 tax year. The annual allowance was £40,000 in 2022-23.

There is a three year carry

State Pension if you retire abroad

If you are retiring abroad, you are still entitled to claim your UK State Pension as long as you have built up a suitable amount of qualifying years of NIC contributions. However, your entitlement to yearly increases in the State Pension only apply

Check your State Pension forecast

The State Pension forecast provides an estimate of how much State Pension an individual can expect to receive when they reach State Pension age. The estimate is based on the applicant’s National Insurance current and future contribution record.

A

Pension Credits

Pension Credits can provide extra income to those over State Pension age and on a low income. The credits were first introduced in 2003 to help keep retired people out of poverty. There are two main parts to Pension Credit.

The first part is

Take advantage of new pension tax reforms

The new pension tax reforms that were announced in the recent Spring Budget took effect from 6 April 2023. The old £40,000 cap on annual pension contributions has been increased by 50% to £60,000, with effect from 6 April 2023. Tax relief for

Spring Budget 2023 – Pension changes

One of the key measures of the Spring Budget was the announcement that the £40,000 cap on annual pension contributions will be increased by 50% to £60,000 from 6 April 2023. Tax relief for contributions to pension schemes is given at a taxpayer’s

Adding employees to a workplace pension scheme

Automatic enrolment for workplace pensions has helped many employees make a start on providing for their retirement with the advantage that employers and government are also contributing to their pension pot.

The law states that employers must

Limits to tax relief for pension contributions

Under current rules, you can claim tax relief for your private pension contributions. The annual allowance for tax relief on pensions is £40,000 for the current tax year. There is a three year carry forward rule that allows you to carry forward any

What is a defined contribution pension?

A defined contribution pension (sometimes referred to as a money purchase pension scheme) is a type of pension scheme where the pension pot is based on how much money is paid into the scheme. This is markedly different to a defined benefit pension

Private pension contributions tax relief

Under current rules, you can claim tax relief for your private pension contributions within certain limitations.

The current annual allowance for tax relief on pension contributions is £40,000. You can also carry forward any unused amount of your

The pension savings annual allowance

The pension savings annual allowance for tax relief on pensions has been fixed at £40,000 since 6 April 2014. The annual allowance is further reduced for high earners. Since 6 April 2020, the tapered annual allowance increased from £150,000 to

Tax when you get your pension

There are special rules which allow individuals who have set up private pension scheme(s) to benefit from significant tax reliefs when saving for their retirement. There is no overall limit to the amount of employer or employee contributions and no

Pensions triple lock to be reinstated

The triple lock guarantee on pensions that was suspended for the current 2022-23 tax year is to be restored from April 2023. In September 2021, the government announced that its triple lock guarantee on pensions was to be abandoned for one year due

Changes in State Pension age

The State Pension age is currently 66 and two further increases are set out in legislation: a gradual rise to 67 for those born on or after April 1960; and a gradual rise to 68 between 2044 and 2046 for those born on or after April 1977.

In March

Auto enrolment for care workers

Automatic enrolment for workplace pensions has helped many employees make provision for their retirement, with employers and government also contributing to make a larger pension pot.

The law states that employers must automatically enrol workers

Added protection for pension savers

The new Pensions Scheme Act received Royal Assent on 11 February 2021. The Act covers a number of