How to use pension tax relief retrospectively

Ezzaezzaezza

Hi, can anyone tell me how to go about getting tax relief on pension contributions retrospectively? When I stopped working to become a full time carer I didn't know that I could still make a contribution of £2880 to my pension and still benefit from a £700 tax relief. I have seen that it is possible to do this retrospectively. Now that I know, can someone tell me how? My pension managing platform hasn't been forthcoming with this information :-(  

molerat

You can't make pension contributions for earlier years, the retrospective angle only comes in for higher rate tax payers and high earners in certain circumstances and it is not actually what you think it is.

TheSpectator

They haven't been forthcoming as it's not possible.

zagfles

Ezzaezzaezza said:

Hi, can anyone tell me how to go about getting tax relief on pension contributions retrospectively? When I stopped working to become a full time carer I didn't know that I could still make a contribution of £2880 to my pension and still benefit from a £700 tax relief. I have seen that it is possible to do this retrospectively. Now that I know, can someone tell me how? My pension managing platform hasn't been forthcoming with this information :-(  

That's because it can't be done. You can't allocate contributions to a previous year, no-one can. Whatever you've read was rubbish or you've misunderstood it. Also the tax relief limit has no carry forwards, it's the greater of £3600 (gross) or your earnings. So what you did or didn't do in previous years is irrelavent. 

People constantly confuse this with the annual allowance, which is an additional constraint on high earners. Totally irrelavent to you. 

dunstonh

Hi, can anyone tell me how to go about getting tax relief on pension contributions retrospectively?

Its not possible. 

 I have seen that it is possible to do this retrospectively. 

As it isn't possible, it is unlikely you have seen that.

My pension managing platform hasn't been forthcoming with this information

As the option doesn't exist, they cannot provide that information.

It is likely you have misread the option called carry forward.   However, that option is not available to you unless you earn over £60,000 a year or you have access to employer contributions that can take you through £60,000 (e.g. company director of own company).