Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

[F1 637L Drawdown pension fund lump sum death benefits U.K.

(1) Subject to subsections (2) to (6), no liability to income tax arises on a drawdown pension [F2 fund] lump sum death benefit paid under a registered pension scheme.

(2) If—

(a) a drawdown pension [F3 fund] lump sum death benefit under a registered pension scheme is paid in respect of a member who, on death, is under 75,

(b) the lump sum is paid before the end of the relevant two year period, and

(c) the lump sum exceeds the permitted maximum,

section 579A (pensions) applies to the excess as it applies to any pension under a registered pension scheme.

(3) If—

(a) a drawdown pension [F4 fund] lump sum death benefit under a registered pension scheme is paid in respect of a member who, on death, is under 75,

(b) the lump sum is not paid before the end of the relevant two year period, and

(c) the lump sum is paid to a qualifying person,

section 579A (pensions) applies to the lump sum as it applies to any pension under a registered pension scheme.

(4) If—

(a) a drawdown pension [F5 fund] lump sum death benefit under a registered pension scheme is paid in respect of a member who, on death, is under 75,

(b) the lump sum is not paid before the end of the relevant two year period, and

(c) the lump sum is paid to a non-qualifying person,

the lump sum is subject to income tax under section 206 of FA 2004 (special lump sum death benefits charge on scheme administrator) but not otherwise.

(5) If a drawdown pension [F6 fund] lump sum death benefit under a registered pension scheme is paid—

(a) in respect of a member who, on death, is 75 or over, and

(b) to a qualifying person,

section 579A (pensions) applies to the lump sum as it applies to any pension under a registered pension scheme.

(6) If a drawdown pension [F7 fund] lump sum death benefit under a registered pension scheme is paid—

(a) in respect of a member who, on death, is 75 or over, and

(b) to a non-qualifying person,

the lump sum is subject to income tax under section 206 of FA 2004 (special lump sum death benefits charge on scheme administrator) but not otherwise.

(7) A reference in this section to a “member”, in relation to a drawdown pension [F8 fund] lump sum death benefit under paragraph 17(2) of Schedule 29 to FA 2004 (lump sum payable on death of dependant of deceased member), is a reference to the dependant on whose death the lump sum is payable.

(8) In this section—

• “non-qualifying person” has the same meaning as in section 206 of FA 2004;

• “the permitted maximum”, in relation to a drawdown pension [F9 fund] lump sum death benefit paid in respect of a member, means so much of the member’s lump sum and death benefit allowance as is available [F10 on the lump sum being] paid (see section 637S);

• “qualifying person” means a person who is not a non-qualifying person;

• “the relevant two year period” means the period of two years beginning with the day on which the scheme administrator of the scheme first knew of the member’s death or (if earlier) the day on which the scheme administrator could first reasonably have been expected to have known of it.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 9 Ch. 15A substituted (6.4.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 9 paras. 41, 124 (with Sch. 9 paras. 125-132A) (as amended by S.I. 2024/356, regs. 1, 4; and (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by S.I. 2024/1012, regs. 1(2)(3), 17)

F2 Word in s. 637L(1) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F3 Word in s. 637L(2)(a) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F4 Word in s. 637L(3)(a) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F5 Word in s. 637L(4)(a) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F6 Word in s. 637L(5) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F7 Word in s. 637L(6) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F8 Word in s. 637L(7) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F9 Word in s. 637L(8) inserted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(4)

F10 Words in s. 637L(8) substituted (18.11.2024 for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The Pensions (Abolition of Lifetime Allowance Charge etc) (No. 2) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/1012), regs. 1(2)(3), 3(3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 9 modified (13.2.2025 with effect in relation to the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The MPs’, Senedd and Assembly Pension Schemes (Tax) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/52), regs. 1(2)(3), 4, 6, 7