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Age 65 - does increased allowance backdate to April 6th?

If someone turns 65 during the tax year, will the new increased personal allowance backdate to the start of the tax year (being age 64 at that time) or does it start from the birthday?

Comments

  • anamenottaken
    anamenottaken Posts: 4,198 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 26 February 2014 at 10:10AM
    mania112 wrote: »
    If someone turns 65 during the tax year, will the new increased personal allowance backdate to the start of the tax year (being age 64 at that time) or does it start from the birthday?

    It operates for the first time in the year after they reach 65 (unless their birthday is 6 April, the start of the year). It doesn't operate for part-years so not from their birthday.

    My birthday is within a fortnight of the start of the year - so my father missed out on any tax advantage in the year I was born (there was tax adjustment at that time but no child allowance for a first child, which I was).
  • zygurat789
    zygurat789 Posts: 4,263 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 26 February 2014 at 10:19AM
    It operates for the first time in the year after they reach 65 (unless their birthday is 6 April, the start of the year). It doesn't operate for part-years so not from their birthday.

    My birthday is within a fortnight of the start of the year - so my father missed out on any tax advantage in the year I was born (there was tax adjustment at that time but no child allowance for a first child, which I was).

    Bad news, I'm afraid. If you are referring to 6 April 2013 or 2014 then there is no increased age allowance . Thanks to all those young tories who thought it wasn't fair.
    If you already have it, ie born before 5 Aptil 1948, then you keep it but it will wither on the vine and, ultimately, be overtaken by the personal allowance.
    The only thing that is constant is change.
  • mania112
    mania112 Posts: 1,981 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    It operates for the first time in the year after they reach 65 (unless their birthday is 6 April, the start of the year). It doesn't operate for part-years so not from their birthday.

    My birthday is within a fortnight of the start of the year - so my father missed out on any tax advantage in the year I was born (there was tax adjustment at that time but no child allowance for a first child, which I was).

    I don't follow. Do you know this for sure? Because it seems you are likening it to another tax break?

    The guides i've read don't mention it starting in the tax year AFTER a 65th birthday.
  • mania112
    mania112 Posts: 1,981 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    zygurat789 wrote: »
    Bad news, I'm afraid. If you are referring to 6 April 2013 or 2014 then there is no increased age allowance . Thanks to all those young tories who thought it wasn't fair.
    If you already have it, ie born before 5 Aptil 1948, then you keep it but it will wither on the vine and, ultimately, be overtaken by the personal allowance.

    I know it's being phased out.

    I am a young Tory.
  • 00ec25
    00ec25 Posts: 9,123 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 26 February 2014 at 1:24PM
    why not read this guide - fairly self explanatory
    http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/agerelatedtaxallowance.aspx

    and although the page is now officially archived it still refers to the P161 and background if you prefer to see it on something HMRC branded
    http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pensioners/reducing-allowances.htm
  • zygurat789
    zygurat789 Posts: 4,263 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    mania112 wrote: »
    I know it's being phased out.

    I am a young Tory.

    What you are not aware of then is that it is only being phased out for those born before 4 April 1948; no one born after 5 April 1948 will ever benefit from age allowance.
    That's what I meant about young tories. This must rank as one of the meanest bits of legislation from a tax avoiding millionaire.
    The only thing that is constant is change.
  • mania112
    mania112 Posts: 1,981 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    zygurat789 wrote: »
    What you are not aware of then is that it is only being phased out for those born before 4 April 1948; no one born after 5 April 1948 will ever benefit from age allowance.
    That's what I meant about young tories. This must rank as one of the meanest bits of legislation from a tax avoiding millionaire.

    Yes I am aware (my original question is for a previous year - 'should this have happened?').

    Why do you consider it 'one of the meanest bits of legislation'?
  • mania112
    mania112 Posts: 1,981 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    00ec25 wrote: »
    why not read this guide - fairly self explanatory
    http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/agerelatedtaxallowance.aspx

    and although the page is now officially archived it still refers to the P161 and background if you prefer to see it on something HMRC branded
    http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pensioners/reducing-allowances.htm
    The tax allowance increases in the tax year of your 65th and 75th birthday. If you become 65 or 75 during the tax year (for example, the 2012/13 tax year runs from 6 April 2012 to 5 April 2013) you are entitled to the allowance for that age group.

    So when you turn 65 - that whole tax year is increased to the higher allowance (before the rules change).

    Contrary to the first reply, but that's also what I thought.
  • purdyoaten
    purdyoaten Posts: 1,159 Forumite
    mania112 wrote: »
    So when you turn 65 - that whole tax year is increased to the higher allowance (before the rules change).

    Contrary to the first reply, but that's also what I thought.

    Indeed contrary - the first reply was just plain wrong
    There are 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who do not. :doh:
  • zygurat789
    zygurat789 Posts: 4,263 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    The age 65 now has no relevance and is not used by HMRC. The current method of expressing this, and it is clearer, is those born before 5 April 1948. If you wre born after that date you will not get Age Allowance.
    The only thing that is constant is change.
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