Pension tax relief isn't working well - how can we improve it?

For incentives to work, they must be understood – and that is not the case, says Baroness Ros Altmann

clock • 3 min read

Tax relief in its current form just isn’t working. It’s meant to offer an incentive to get us to save for retirement, but it is so complex that most people don’t understand it. Without knowing how it works and how valuable it is, it clearly cannot provide much incentive for increasing contributions.

This is a real shame, because the pension tax relief system costs the government more than £40bn a year when including national insurance relief - but these huge sums of money are not being well ta...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Pensions

Become a Professional Pensions Lite Member today

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis and opinion from the industry
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our two daily news alerts
  • Hear from industry experts and other forward-thinking leaders

Are you a trustee, investment consultant or in-house pension and benefit scheme professional? You can apply for full complimentary access here

Join now

 

Already a Professional Pensions
member?

Login

More on Defined Contribution

Nest convenes member assembly to help shape investment decisions

Nest convenes member assembly to help shape investment decisions

Paul Todd says the future of pensions should be shaped by those who rely on them

Paul Todd
clock 21 May 2026 • 4 min read
Standard Life extends Sharia proposition with lifestyle strategy launch

Standard Life extends Sharia proposition with lifestyle strategy launch

Move comes in partnership with HSBC Asset Management and Franklin Templeton

Jonathan Stapleton
clock 18 May 2026 • 3 min read
BlackRock launches LTAF to broaden DC access to private markets

BlackRock launches LTAF to broaden DC access to private markets

LTAF seeded by two UK DC schemes with BlackRock scheme allocating 20% to the fund

Jonathan Stapleton
clock 18 May 2026 • 1 min read
Trustpilot