VAT recovery on pension costs
On 18 June 2025, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) changed its policy on the recovery of VAT on investment costs. Effective immediately, employers can now treat all VAT incurred on investment management services for occupational pension schemes as their own input tax and reclaim it, in line with standard input tax rules.
Pensions update: major Virgin Media development
The Government has announced that it will introduce a legislative 'fix' to give pension schemes the ability to retrospectively obtain written actuarial confirmation that historic benefit changes met the necessary standards.
Pensions snapshot - May 2025
This edition of snapshot looks at the latest legal developments in pensions.
Getting ready for pensions dashboards: A checklist for trustees
1 October 2026, the mandatory deadline to connect to the pensions dashboards ecosystem, is fast approaching. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have released a staged timetable, urging you to act now and not wait until Autumn 2026.
The Autumn Budget 2024: what does it mean for pensions?
Much of the Government's commentary in the run up to this week's Budget focussed on the "£22 billion black hole" the Chancellor has identified in the public finances. Indeed, those who played "Budget Bingo" while watching on Wednesday will have been excited to hear Rachel Reeves mention the £22 billion black hole no fewer than five times. The cost of current pensions tax relief is estimated to be £48.7 billion. So, no surprises that the Chancellor is seeking to plug that black hole with further limits on pensions tax relief.
Getting Britain moving: A pensions perspective
On 9 July 2024, Stephenson Harwood LLP and AtkinsRéalis are hosting a Top Table Lunch during which Juergen Maier (who is leading a Rail and Urban Transport Review for the Labour party) will be in conversation with Stephenson Harwood partner Tammy Samuel. Following Labour's win at the general election on 4 July 2024, this will be the first opportunity for the rail industry to learn more of its plans..
Lifetime allowance abolition – an update
The UK Lifetime Allowance (LTA) tax charges ceased to apply from 6 April 2023, and the LTA itself was abolished with effect from 6 April 2024. Rather than a simple abolition, the LTA has, however, been replaced by lump sum allowances which continue to limit the amount of tax-free cash that an individual can receive from registered pension schemes and from some overseas schemes that hold UK tax-relieved amounts.
Pensions briefing – a new defined benefit funding regime
Updated draft Regulations published
Lifetime allowance abolition – an update
The abolition of the Lifetime Allowance (LTA) is being undertaken in two stages. The first was the removal of the LTA tax charges from 6 April 2023. The second will be the abolition of LTA itself from 6 April 2024. Rather than a simple abolition, the LTA is in effect being replaced by lump sum allowances which will still control the level of tax-free cash that an individual can receive from registered pension scheme arrangements. On 4 January 2024, HMRC published an updated newsletter providing further guidance on the how this will work in practice.
