Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that low earners in Net Pay pension schemes do not suffer lower take home pay as a result of their employer’s scheme choice.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Legislation introduced in 2023 requires HMRC to make a top-up payment to those individuals contributing to a pension scheme using a net pay arrangement, whose total taxable income is below their personal allowance.
This means that low earning pension savers should receive similar outcomes regardless of whether they are members of a relief at source pension scheme or a net pay pension scheme.
HMRC are developing the IT solution to make these payments, in line with legislation, as soon as practicable in the tax year after the pension contributions were made. The first payments will be made in tax-year 2025-26 in respect of contributions made during 2024-25.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis they have carried out of the impact of inaccurate reporting required by the Financial Conduct Authority of listed investment company management expenses and the impact this has had on investors, renewable energy projects, infrastructure, real estate and UK financial markets.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The investment company sector plays a key role in the UK’s economy, representing over 30% of the FTSE 250, and investing in illiquid assets – including infrastructure projects and renewables – to support the Government’s growth agenda.
The Government will carefully consider all options regarding cost disclosure to retail investors.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of people aged 55 to 66 have a National Insurance record of more than 35 years.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained/compiled/collated at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of people aged 55 to 66 have a National Insurance record of more than 40 years.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be obtained/compiled/collated at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much (1) gross tax relief, and (2) National Insurance relief, was given to (a) Defined Benefit or hybrid pension scheme employers, (b) Defined Benefit or hybrid pension scheme members, (c) Defined Contribution workplace scheme employers, (d) Defined Contribution pension scheme auto-enrolment members, and (e) other Defined Contribution pension scheme members, in each of the past three years.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Estimates of the cost of Income Tax and National Insurance Contribution relief on total pension contributions made in 2020 to 2021 can be found in Tables 1 and 2 below. Figures are provided in millions and rounded to the nearest hundred million pounds. Hybrid defined contribution and defined benefit schemes are counted as defined benefit schemes for the purpose of this analysis.
HMRC do not publish estimates of total pension contributions.
Table 1: Income Tax relief on pension contributions in 2020 to 2021 by type of contribution, £million | ||
Income Tax relief in 2020 to 2021 [provisional] on: | Defined benefit scheme | Defined contribution scheme |
Individual contributions to net pay arrangements | 3,600 | 900 |
Individual contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 4,900 |
Salary sacrificed contributions | 1,100 | 3,600 |
Employer contributions to net pay arrangements | 16,800* | 4,100 |
Employer contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 5,900* |
Table 2: National Insurance Contribution (NIC) relief on pension contributions in 2020 to 2021 by type of contribution, £million | ||
NIC relief in 2020 to 2021 [provisional] on: | Defined benefit scheme | Defined contribution scheme |
Class 1 Primary (employee) NIC relief on employer contributions to net pay arrangements | 4,900* | 1,000 |
Class 1 Primary (employee) NIC relief on employer contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 1,500* |
Class 1 Primary (employee) NIC relief on salary sacrificed contributions | 300 | 800 |
Class 1 Secondary (employer) NIC relief on employer contributions to net pay arrangements | 8,200* | 1,800 |
Class 1 Secondary (employer) NIC relief on employer contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 2,700* |
Class 1 Secondary (employer) NIC relief on salary sacrificed contributions | 500 | 1,500 |
*These figures contain forecasts rather than being entirely based on outturn data sources.
Please note that the figures provided are estimates only.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what were the total pension contributions to (1) Defined Benefit or hybrid schemes, (2) Defined Contribution auto-enrolment workplace schemes, and (3) other pension schemes, in each of the past three years.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Estimates of the cost of Income Tax and National Insurance Contribution relief on total pension contributions made in 2020 to 2021 can be found in Tables 1 and 2 below. Figures are provided in millions and rounded to the nearest hundred million pounds. Hybrid defined contribution and defined benefit schemes are counted as defined benefit schemes for the purpose of this analysis.
HMRC do not publish estimates of total pension contributions.
Table 1: Income Tax relief on pension contributions in 2020 to 2021 by type of contribution, £million | ||
Income Tax relief in 2020 to 2021 [provisional] on: | Defined benefit scheme | Defined contribution scheme |
Individual contributions to net pay arrangements | 3,600 | 900 |
Individual contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 4,900 |
Salary sacrificed contributions | 1,100 | 3,600 |
Employer contributions to net pay arrangements | 16,800* | 4,100 |
Employer contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 5,900* |
Table 2: National Insurance Contribution (NIC) relief on pension contributions in 2020 to 2021 by type of contribution, £million | ||
NIC relief in 2020 to 2021 [provisional] on: | Defined benefit scheme | Defined contribution scheme |
Class 1 Primary (employee) NIC relief on employer contributions to net pay arrangements | 4,900* | 1,000 |
Class 1 Primary (employee) NIC relief on employer contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 1,500* |
Class 1 Primary (employee) NIC relief on salary sacrificed contributions | 300 | 800 |
Class 1 Secondary (employer) NIC relief on employer contributions to net pay arrangements | 8,200* | 1,800 |
Class 1 Secondary (employer) NIC relief on employer contributions to relief at source schemes | 0 | 2,700* |
Class 1 Secondary (employer) NIC relief on salary sacrificed contributions | 500 | 1,500 |
*These figures contain forecasts rather than being entirely based on outturn data sources.
Please note that the figures provided are estimates only.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the successes of duty free on arrival stores in the 65 other countries that have legislated for these; and whether they intend to assess the potential merits of implementing arrivals duty free in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Duty-free on arrival would place additional pressure on the public finances to which excise duty makes a significant contribution. Tax generated by the Government helps fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education, and defence.
Although there are no plans to introduce a duty-free on arrival scheme, the Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the UK economy of removing duty-free shopping for passengers arriving in the UK, and for overseas shoppers across the country.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Duty-free on arrival would place additional pressure on the public finances to which excise duty makes a significant contribution. Tax generated by the Government helps fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education, and defence.
Although there are no plans to introduce a duty-free on arrival scheme, the Government keeps all taxes under review and welcomes representations to help inform future decisions on tax policy, as part of the tax policy making cycle and Budget process.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the impact of quantitative easing since 2009 on the distribution of wealth by (1) age, and (2) region, across the UK.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Monetary policy, including quantitative easing, is the responsibility of the independent Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England. The Government is working closely with the Bank to ensure that monetary and fiscal policy are well coordinated, and fully supports the Bank in their mission to drive down inflation. The Government does not comment on the conduct or effectiveness of monetary policy.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government which (1) social security, and (2) other taxpayer-funded benefits, are (a) taxable, and (b) tax-free.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The long-standing tax treatment of social security benefits is based on how each type of payment would otherwise be treated in income tax legislation.
Whether a benefit is taxable or exempt from income tax is set out in the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (ITEPA).
The position for the most common UK state benefits is summarised online at gov.uk[1].
The most common taxable State benefits include Bereavement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, contribution- based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Incapacity Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), pensions paid by the Industrial Death Benefit scheme, the State Pensions, and Widowed Parent’s Allowance. For an extensive list of taxable UK benefits please refer to section 660[2] ITEPA.
The most common tax-exempt state benefits include Attendance Allowance, Bereavement support payment, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Guardian’s Allowance, Housing Benefit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Industrial Injuries Benefit, Maternity Allowance, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Severe Disability Allowance, Universal Credit, War Widow’s Pension, Winter Fuel Payments, and Working Tax Credit. An extensive list of UK social security benefits wholly exempt from income tax can be found at section 677[3] ITEPA.
[1] www.gov.uk/income-tax/taxfree-and-taxable-state-benefits
[2] Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)
[3] Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)