Rates and Allowances - Pension Schemes

 

Standard Lifetime Allowance

Tax Year

Amount (£)

2006-07

£1,500,000

2007-08

£1,600,000

2008-09

£1,650,000

2009-10

£1,750,000

2010-11

£1,800,000

Member contributions

There is no limit on the amount that an individual can contribute to a registered pension scheme. If you are a UK resident aged under 75 you may receive tax relief on your contributions to a registered pension scheme. Tax relief is limited to relief on contributions up to the higher of

  • 100 per cent of your UK taxable earnings
  • £3,600

Any amount of contributions paid over the annual allowance will be liable to the annual allowance charge.

Annual Allowance

Tax Year

Amount (£)

2006-07

£215,000

2007-08

£225,000

2008-09

£235,000

2009-10

£245,000

2010-11

£255,000

Notional Earnings Cap

Before 6 April 2006 the rules of many pension schemes limited the amount of benefits that could be provided or contribution paid by reference to the permitted maximum under s590C ICTA 1988. Although section 590C ICTA 1988 was repealed on 6 April 2006 the permitted maximum can continue to apply to registered pension schemes for a period up to 5 April 2011 because of regulation 4 of The Registered Pension Schemes (Modification of the Rules of Existing Schemes) Regulations 2006 – SI 2006/364.

If section 590C had not been repealed on 6 April 2006, a Treasury order would have stated the permitted maximum figure for the tax years as follows;

Tax Year

Amount (£)

2006-07

£108,600

2007-08

£112,800

2008-09

£117,600

2009-10

£123,600

2010-11

£123,600

Tax charges on payments from registered pension schemes

There are a number of special tax charges that apply to special payments made from registered pension schemes. These are listed below. The normal Income Tax rates apply to ordinary pensions payments made from pension schemes.

 

Charges

Rates

Lifetime allowance charge

55% - if the amount over the lifetime allowance is paid as a lump sum
25% - if the amount over the lifetime allowance is not taken as a lump sum

Annual allowance charge

40%

Unauthorised payments charge

40%

Unauthorised payments surcharge

15%

Short service refund lump sum charge

Years to 2009-10
20% on first £10,800, 40% on amounts over £10,800

Short service refund lump sum charge

From 2010-11
20% on first £20,000, 50% on amount over £20,000

Special lump sum death benefits charge

35%

Authorised surplus payments charge

35%

Scheme sanction charge

15% - 40%