Welby Associates

How Do Higher Rate Earners Claim Pension Tax Relief?

As a higher rate earner in the UK, you can claim additional tax relief on your pension contributions. We are here to help you claim it, but here’s a reminder about how it’s done:

Check Your Tax Bracket:

Higher rate taxpayers in the UK are eligible for 40% tax relief on pension contributions. Additional rate taxpayers are eligible for 45% tax relief.

Contributions from Net Income:

If you’re contributing to a pension scheme that operates under the relief at source method (most workplace pensions and personal pensions), your contributions will be taken from your net income after tax has been deducted. The pension provider then claims basic rate tax relief (20%) from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and adds it to your pension pot automatically.

Claiming Additional Tax Relief:

To claim the additional tax relief for higher rate taxpayers (40% or 45%), you need to include your pension contributions on your annual tax return. You can claim the difference between the basic rate tax relief claimed by your pension provider and your higher rate of tax.

Through Self-Assessment:

If you’re not already in self-assessment, you may need to register for it to claim the additional tax relief. You can do this through the HMRC website or by contacting HMRC directly.

Declare Pension Contributions on Tax Return:

On your tax return, there will be a section where you can declare your pension contributions. You’ll need to enter the total gross amount of your contributions (including the basic rate tax relief already claimed by your pension provider).

Receive Tax Relief:

Once you’ve submitted your tax return, HMRC will calculate the additional tax relief you’re entitled to based on your tax bracket. This additional relief will either reduce the tax you owe or increase any tax rebate you’re entitled to.

Keep Records:

Make sure to keep records of your pension contributions and any tax relief claimed, as HMRC may ask for evidence to support your claim.

Using your pension allowances and obtaining the full tax relief is a critical part of financial planning. This tax relief is your reward for locking your money into a pension into your retirement date, so make sure it’s claimed in full.

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The headlines have been full of grim economic news for a while. From talk of imminent recession and staff shortages to higher interest rates and industrial disputes, there’s been plenty of reasons for worry and alarm, not least among business leaders. So it’s interesting to note that, according to the S&P Global CIPS Flash UK composite purchasing managers’ index, many businesses are actually cautiously optimistic about the future.

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Get ready for the end of the tax year

The end of the tax year is fast approaching and time is running out. So in the weeks ahead of the April 5th deadline, what steps should you be taking to make the most of your money and reduce your tax bill?

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Are late payments holding back your business?

Late payments have long been a huge issue for small businesses, as many simply don’t have the financial means to go without money they’re owed for any great stretch of time. As a result, the very survival of some businesses is at stake, with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) stating that late payments are behind the closure of 50,000 businesses every year. What’s more, according to a recent FSB survey, the situation is deteriorating, as nearly one in three small businesses believe their payment situation has worsened over the last three months.

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March Market Commentary

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had a huge impact on the global economy, pushing up commodity prices, inflation and living costs around the world. Last month saw the first anniversary of the invasion, and amid the renewed displays of solidarity from leaders in the UK, the US and the European Union, was the uncomfortable reminder that this could be a prolonged conflict. Policymakers are therefore having to balance their continued support for Ukraine with minimising the economic fallout, and the effects this will have on households and businesses.

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February Market Commentary

Savers and investors will not shed many tears for the end of 2022. A year that was beset by inflation and rising interest rates meant only three of the major stock markets we report on made gains in the year.

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Why are house prices falling?

Average house prices have been falling steadily for the last few months now. In fact, the latest figures from Halifax show that prices fell by 1.5 per cent in December 2022, taking the average property value to £281,272. What’s more, that was the fourth monthly decline in succession, which is staggering when you think that even a global pandemic failed to stop house prices heading upwards.

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Do you feel in control of your finances?

Money worries can have a devastating impact on a person’s life, causing untold stress and heartache day after day. So it’s really important that you’re not left feeling as if your finances are like a runaway juggernaut: out of control.

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Take a long-term view of your investments

Investments go up as well as down. It’s one of the most basic principles of investing that we’re told early on in the process. So why do so many of us panic when conditions in the market are less than ideal?

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Seats at the Billionaires’ Table

According to Forbes’ ‘Billionaires’ List’ for 2022, the richest person in the world is currently Tesla boss, Elon Musk. Along with Tesla, Musk has co-founded Space X and a tunnelling start-up – the aptly named Boring Company – and is reportedly worth $219bn (£184bn).

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Are you tempted to go back to work after retiring?

As the government looks to get the economy firing on all cylinders, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has been looking at fixing what he described recently as the UK’s “productivity puzzle”.

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What is the state pension triple lock?

The Chancellor’s decision to protect the state pension triple lock was one of the most headline-grabbing aspects of the recent Budget. But what exactly is the triple lock and what does it mean?

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Could we see a Retail Recovery?

As we all know, interest rates have been steadily rising this year. Higher interest rates equal higher mortgage rates, which means less money for householders to spend. Then came the Autumn Statement. Tax thresholds frozen equals more to pay in taxes equals less to spend in the shops.

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Set financial new year’s resolutions for 2023

The new year is almost upon us and we’ll all be setting our resolutions for the next 12 months. Perhaps you want to improve your diet, quit smoking, learn a new skill or hobby, or pick up an old hobby that you’ve let slide over the years. But have you thought about improving your financial habits too?

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What is open banking?

It’s a term we’ve heard a lot recently, so let’s take a close look at what open banking actually is, and how many people know about it. Open banking means allowing third-party financial services providers, such as budgeting apps, to access a person’s banking information, like their payment history and previous transactions.

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How did Germany end its reliance on Russian energy?

Many readers will remember the disaster at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant in March 2011. This was a trigger for Germany to significantly scale back its commitment to nuclear power, with eight reactors permanently shut down in August of that year. At the time, it didn’t seem to be a problem: the gas and oil were flowing from Russia and powering the German economy – widely accepted as the engine which drove the rest of Europe.

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January Market Commentary

As 2022 drew to a close, there was a mixed picture worldwide as major economies sought to respond to soaring energy prices, rising living costs and the continuing impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In our first round-up of the year, we look at where we left off in 2022 all across the world…

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Can I get tax relief on pension contributions?

If you’re paying into a pension scheme, you can get tax relief on your contributions, with money that would otherwise be paid in tax going into your pension pot instead.

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Why it’s good to talk about money this Christmas

With inflation at its highest level in more than 40 years, and energy and grocery bills continuing to head upwards, many are feeling the pinch – but perhaps even more so now that Christmas is fast approaching. According to a recent poll by PayPal, 58 per cent of Brits are anxious about the cost of living crisis, and 44 per cent are worried about financial pressure over the festive period.

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Could professional financial advice help you through the cost of living crisis?

With soaring inflation and rising interest rates, many people are feeling justifiably anxious about making ends meet. That’s partly because the key triggers of the cost of living crisis are beyond our control – so it’s easy to start feeling completely helpless. But there is something you can do – speaking to a regulated, professional financial adviser.

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Are you saving enough money?

How much money do you have in your savings account? How long would your head stay above water if you lost your main source of income? These are important questions, particularly as the cost of living crisis bites, but several new studies have revealed that many people have a worryingly small amount of money saved up.

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December Market Commentary

War? Soaring energy and food prices? Covid surging in China and people taking to the streets in protest? Worries about a prolonged recession here in the UK? In November, there was plenty for world stock markets to worry about – but, as we will see below, the markets largely shrugged aside the concerns, with some making significant gains. The problems that we have written about for virtually all of this year didn’t go away – but they didn’t get any worse either – and world stock markets seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

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The war in Ukraine: What happens next?

It is now more than eight months since the Russian tanks rolled across the Ukraine border in what Vladimir Putin continues to describe as a ‘special military operation’. Putin clearly expected the invasion to be over quickly – as, you suspect, most people in the West did. But eight months on, here we are. Ukraine is fighting back, recapturing territory that has been occupied and most experts now think the war will last well into next year. So what is likely to happen? And what does it mean for us here in the West?

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What’s Going to Happen to House Prices in 2023?

The pandemic failed to halt the surge in house prices, and so far, soaring inflation hasn’t done so either. In fact, figures from Rightmove indicate there was a 0.9 per cent increase in average property values in October 2022, taking prices up to a record £371,158. But nevertheless, there are genuine fears among some that a big drop in the market …

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How are interest rates and inflation linked?

The Bank of England’s aim is for the country to have low and stable inflation – and it works to a target of two per cent. Changing interest rates are the Bank of England’s mechanism for achieving its inflation target, and in the current climate of high inflation, it believes raising rates is the right approach. Otherwise, it maintains, the problem …

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Is Equity Release a Good Idea?

Early last month, City AM had a dramatic headline: ‘Cash-strapped homeowners turn their properties into personal cash machines.’ They reported that equity release was ‘booming’, with homeowners releasing a total of £4.8bn from their homes in 2021. Ten years previously, the amount released was just £790m with only two years out of the ten – …

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November Market Commentary

Introduction Where did we leave the soap opera that is British politics? At the end of September, Liz Truss was the Prime Minister, and Kwasi Kwarteng was her Chancellor. As we reported last month, Kwarteng presented his ‘fiscal statement’ on Friday 23rd September. Three weeks later, he was gone and Liz Truss had to endure the most public of humiliations …

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What are gilts?

The recent Mini Budget, a £45 billion tax cutting package, paid for by increased public borrowing, led to panic among many investors and a run on Britain’s pension funds. As a result, the Bank of England was forced to step in to stop a collapse by pledging to buy around £65 billion of long-dated gilts. But what exactly are gilts and why do they …

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What is ‘Trickle-down’ economics?

All our clients reading this will be aware of the fallout from new Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s recent ‘fiscal event,’ delivered on the morning of September 23rd. The 45p rate of tax was abolished, the planned increase in Corporation Tax quickly followed and National Insurance hikes were reversed. The right-wing think tanks loved it: Nigel Farage …

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Are we seeing a new boom in ‘Buy Now, Pay Later?’

Many of our older clients will remember Access and Barclaycard, the first credit cards in the UK. Access was launched by Lloyds, NatWest and Midland Bank (now HSBC) in October 1972. It was marketed as ‘your flexible friend’ – and had another advertising slogan as well: Access ‘takes the waiting out of wanting.’ Credit, tick, the never-never…

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Get control of your old pensions

Very few of us have a job for life these days, with many of us moving through numerous roles and businesses as our careers progress. That means you’ll probably have several workplace pensions throughout your working life, and as time passes, it can be easy to lose track of them. You might have moved house since leaving a previous job, and your pension …

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How does the falling pound affect me?

The pound went into freefall after Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s Mini Budge, with news of a raft of tax cuts at a time of soaring inflation and rising interest rates sending chills through the markets. For many, talk of financial markets, exchange rates and the value of the currency can seem very remote and abstract. But these things have a big impact …

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October Market Commentary

Introduction Speaking to journalists at a lobby briefing in 1964 – when the sterling crisis was raging – Prime Minister Harold Wilson famously said “a week is a long time in politics”. What, then, is a month? Especially a month like September 2022 when enough happened to fill a year’s worth of Bulletins. In the UK, the beginning of the month …

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The guidance and/or advice contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore primarily targeted at consumers based in the UK. Welby is a trading name of Welby Associates Wealth Management Ltd Company Registered Number NI630504 who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FCA register number 697372. The Financial Ombudsman Service is available to sort out individual complaints that clients and financial services businesses aren't able to resolve themselves. To contact the Financial Ombudsman Service please visit www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

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