In this section:
- Notifying your Tax Office when you retire
- Why it's important to fill in your Pension Coding form
- Do you need to top up your National Insurance contributions?
Notifying your Tax Office when you retire
We need to know about your income when you retire or reach State Pension age (and again at age 65 if you're a woman) so that we can make sure you receive the right tax-free allowances and pay the right amount of tax.
If you haven't heard from us in the month before you reach State Pension age, or if you're self-employed and about to retire, please contact your Tax Office.
On this page:
Receiving and completing form P161 Pension Coding
Provided we have your date of birth on record, we'll send you a Pension Coding form P161 in the month before you reach State Pension age. This asks about your income, including any pension income, your employment status and other information which can affect your tax and tax allowances.
It's important that you fill in this form and return it. If you don't you won't be considered for increased age-related tax-free allowances and you could end up paying too much tax on your pension income, savings and interest.
If you don't receive the Pension Coding form within a month before reaching State Pension age, you can download the form below and complete and return it to your Tax Office. Alternatively, you can contact your Tax Office and ask them to send you one.
If you're self-employed you won't automatically get form P161 sent to you. Again, you can download it here or you can request it from your Tax Office.
Why it's important to fill in your Pension Coding form
Go to form P161 Pension Coding (PDF 113k)
More useful links
Taxable and non-taxable income at a glance
Tax if you take the State Pension later on
