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40% taxpayer, can I still claim previous years pension contributions tax back?

Hi,

I'm a higher rate tax payer and have been employed in the same company for 6 years now. I have a stakeholder personal pension which the company pays 4% of my salary into.

I have also personally contributed myself on an adhoc basis, I can't exactly remember when I contrinuted, but it was something like 2 months a year on average. I didn't do it regularly because I didn't fancy having to fill in the self assessment to claim back the higher rate tax relief of 18% for my contributions. It was a low amount, about 50 pounds before the tax relief was added.

I have now decided to bite the bullet and start regular personal contributions and fill in the self assessment. My question is; can I claim back the tax relief for those contributions I made in previous tax years? And if so, how many years back and how do I go about claiming it?

Comments

  • You shouldn't have to do a full self-assessment tax return in order to get the additional tax relief.

    The revenue should be able to include it in your tax code for the year you make the contributions and just check the amount with you at the end of the year - they usually do this by issuing a one page form for you to fill in.

    You should either telephone or write to your tax office and explain what you are now paying and they will sort it out for you.

    In terms of earlier years you can make an "error or mistake claim" for relief within 5 years of the 31 January next following the year to which the claim relates, ie, for 1999/2000 to date. Again I would suggest mentioning that you want to claim for these years in your telephone call or letter.

    Hope this helps.
  • Thanks for the reply! I didn't know that I don't have to fill in the full assessment. It'll certainly save me alot of time I suspect. I'll get calling my local tax office...
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