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Tax relief on Spouse's Pension

I work full time and am a higher rate tax payer; my spouse is a stay-at-home-parent whose only income is Child Benefit.
I pay into my spouse's Stakeholder pension out of my income, and have read that I can claim Tax relief but at my spouse's rate not mine i.e. Basic rate not higher.

How do I do this - I have had to do Self-assessment tax returns the last few years but I can't remember seeing fields to enter the information into.
Would it mean doing a Tax return for my spouse also?
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Comments

  • Mnd
    Mnd Posts: 1,699 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper
    She will pay 2880 into the pension, they don't worry about where the money comes from. It was automatically be made up to 3600, no input needed from you
    No.79 save £12k in 2020. Total end May £11610
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  • Asghar
    Asghar Posts: 435 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    YBR wrote: »
    I pay into my spouse's Stakeholder pension out of my income, and have read that I can claim Tax relief but at my spouse's rate not mine i.e. Basic rate not higher.

    Hopefully you are not paying in more than the maximum £2880 allowed for someone who is not earning more than £3600.

    It is your wife who claims the tax relief, not you as it is her pension. The Stakeholder pension company would have claimed basic rate tax relief of £720 automatically on a payment of £2880 to make the total gross amount of £3600 into the pension. This can be done annualy, evey new tax year.
  • Brynsam
    Brynsam Posts: 3,643 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    YBR wrote: »
    I pay into my spouse's Stakeholder pension out of my income, and have read that I can claim Tax relief but at my spouse's rate not mine i.e. Basic rate not higher.

    How do I do this - I have had to do Self-assessment tax returns the last few years but I can't remember seeing fields to enter the information into.
    Would it mean doing a Tax return for my spouse also?

    Either the article you read was incorrect, or possibly you misread it? Either way, you can't claim tax relief of any sort for pension contributions made to a pension other than your own. As others have already pointed out, the pension provider will claim relief on behalf of your wife (even if she is a non-taxpayer) and add it to her pension pot.
  • YBR
    YBR Posts: 751 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 500 Posts Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
    Thanks for your replies. I have a much better understanding now.

    Interesting to note you all assumed I'm the husband, the spouse being "she". Not the case, but that doesn't affect the answer.
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