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    1. Home
    2. Pensions and retirement planning

    Tax and allowances in retirement

    Find out about paying tax if you have retired or receive a pension, and learn about the range of allowances and help that is available.

    Income tax rates and personal allowances

    As you get older there are age-related allowances that can reduce how much tax you pay. Some allowances are income amounts which aren't taxed. Other allowances reduce your tax bill.

    • Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances

    Tax when you get a pension

    When you get money from a pension you pay tax on any income above your tax-free Personal Allowance.  How much Income Tax you pay depends on the tax rate that applies to you.

    • Tax when you get a pension
    • Tax on your private pension contributions
    • Tax on a private pension you inherit
    • The new State Pension
    • Pension scheme administration
    • Contact HMRC

    Tax relief on pension contributions

    The government encourages you to save for your retirement by giving you tax relief on pension contributions. Tax relief reduces your tax bill or increases your pension fund.

    • Workplace pensions and tax relief

    Tax on savings interest

    Most people can earn some income from their savings without paying tax. This is called a Personal Savings Allowance which applies to each tax year, from 6 April to 5 April the following year.

    • Tax on savings interest

    Reclaiming overpaid tax on savings

    If you think you've paid tax on your savings interest when you didn't need to, or paid more than you should have, you can claim it back. You can download form R40 to do this,  or contact your local tax office or the HMRC Office.

    • Claim for repayment of tax deducted from savings and investments (R40)
    • Income tax: general enquiries

    Tax on dividends

    You may get a dividend payment if you own shares in a company.

    • Tax on dividends

    National Insurance contributions

    Find out about your National Insurance contributions If you’re employed,  or self-employed when you reach State Pension age. 

    • National Insurance after State Pension age
    • National Insurance and tax after State Pension age
    • National Insurance
    • Claim a National Insurance refund

    Blind Person's Allowance

    If you're registered as blind you can claim Blind Person's Allowance. This is an amount of income you can get without paying tax.

    • Blind person's allowance

    Married Couple's Allowance (includes civil partnerships)

    Find out if you can claim Married Couple's Allowance if you are married or in a civil partnership.

    • Married Couple's Allowance

    Maintenance Payments Relief

    Maintenance Payments Relief reduces your Income Tax if you make maintenance payments to an ex-spouse or civil partner.

    • Maintenance payments: tax reliefs

    Tax if you're employed and getting a pension

    When you get money from a pension you pay tax on any income above your tax-free Personal Allowance.

    • Tax when you get a pension
    • Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
    • Tax codes
    • Tax overpayments and underpayments
    • Self Assessment

    Retired but starting a new job

    If you start a new job after retiring, your employer will need to tell HMRC so they can make sure that you're paying the right tax.

    • Contact HMRC  - GOV.UK

    Tax if you're self-employed and getting a pension

    If you're self-employed and getting one or more pensions as well as the State Pension, you'll pay tax in a number of different ways.

    • Self-Assessment tax returns
    • Tax overpayments and underpayments
    • Self Assessment - nibusinessinfo.co.uk
    • Tax when you get a pension
    • National Insurance after State Pension age

    Becoming self-employed for the first time

    If you start working for yourself, you’re classed as a sole trader - even if you haven’t yet told HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). You must register and follow the rules for self-employed tax and National Insurance.

    • Working for yourself

    If you're self-employed and worried that you're paying too much tax or if you have any other questions about tax and self-employment after State Pension age, you can contact your Tax Office. 

    • HM Revenue & Customs

    Or, if you're newly self-employed, you can call the Newly Self-Employed Helpline.

    • phone: 0845 915 4655 (lines are open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday)
    • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers

    Working or self-employed and on a low income

    If you're earning a wage and receiving a pension or you're self-employed and you get a pension but have a low income, you may be able to claim Pension Credit.

    • About Pension Credit

    If you think you're paying too much tax

    If you think you're paying too much tax or shouldn't be paying tax at all, you may be able to claim a tax refund.

    • Claim a tax refund

    Appointing someone to deal with HMRC on your behalf

    You can allow someone else to deal with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for you, for example, an accountant, friend or relative.

    • Appoint someone to deal with HMRC on your behalf​

    Tax if you leave the UK to live abroad

    You must tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you are leaving the UK to live abroad permanently or you’re going to work abroad full-time for at least one full tax year.

    • Tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
    • Income Tax: leaving the UK - getting your tax right (P85)

    Paying tax if you retire in NI after living abroad

    Find out if you need to pay UK Income Tax on your foreign income, including income from pensions held overseas.

    • Tax on foreign income
    • Pensions: report a change in your circumstances
    • Moving back to Northern Ireland from abroad

    Contacting your tax office

    HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for collecting, paying, administering and enforcing taxes. 

    • HM Revenue & Customs

    Help and advice

    The organisations below can provide you with free, independent tax advice. The list isn't exhaustive and the links are to external organisations which are not managed by HMRC.

    • Tax Help for Older People
    • Taxaid
    • Advice NI
    • 'Money matters' on the Age NI website
    • Tax allowances for pensioners 

    More useful links

    • Support to stay in your own home
    • Pension Tracing Service
    • Non-resident trusts guidance - GOV.UK
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    Pensions and retirement planning

    • Benefits and concessions in retirement
    • Health and wellbeing in retirement
    • Home, care and community
    • Pension Credit
    • Personal and stakeholder pensions
    • Retirement planning
    • State Pension
    • Tax and allowances in retirement
    • Workplace pensions

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    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

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    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

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    Email 
    customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

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    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

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    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

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    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

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