Pension and Tax: A Comprehensive Guide

Not only are pensions taxable, you may also have other taxable sources of income which you will need to consider when you’re approaching retirement. Here are a few of those which you might need to consider:

Savings and investments
More people are using any savings and investments they have to boost their income. These are also taxable, with some exceptions.

Your property
If you downsize or use an equity release product the proceeds are generally tax-free. This depends on whether the property is your main residence, and there may be tax liabilities if you use part of your home as a business or rent it out. Any income you receive from renting out another property you own will also be taxable.

Part time work
You may choose to find a part time job during your retirement. While there are many benefits of working part time, including an additional source of revenue that can contribute to your total annual income, please remember that any earnings will also be taxable. Further guidance is available on the MoneyHelper website.

ISAs
Some products such as ISAs are tax exempt, so you won’t pay tax on any income or gains you receive.

Personal Savings and Dividend Allowances
You also have an annual personal savings allowance and an annual dividend allowance. These allowances can provide further tax-free income each year.

Being a Landlord
There is also a scheme called Rent a Room Allowance that allows you to rent a room in your home and receive a tax-free income each year up to a set amount.

A tax refund may be due if the tax deducted from a pension payment you have received is greater than that which is due when all of the income you receive during a tax year is taken into account. This can occur where a pension payment has to be taxed using the emergency rate which often happens when lump sums are withdrawn from pension savings. You can apply for a tax refund on these payments using a P53 or P53Z form.

You don't normally pay tax on your pension contributions. Instead, you may be eligible to receive tax relief on your pension contributions if your pension meets the required criteria. For full information, please visit our Tax Benefits page.

If your pension savings do not meet the required criteria, you may need to pay tax on your pension contributions. Find out more about tax on your private pension.

Yes. Your state pension counts towards your taxable income, but it will be paid to you gross (before any tax is deducted).

If your total income from all sources, including the state pension, is greater than your tax-free personal allowance (£12,570 for 2024/25 tax year), tax on your state pension is due. This will normally be deducted from any private pension, workplace pension or earnings you might have which are paid through the PAYE system. However, if you do not have a PAYE income, you will have to complete a self-assessment tax return and pay any tax due directly to HMRC after the end of the tax year.

Find out more about your state pension.