Background Note
85.In the Budget, the Chancellor announced changes to the tax relief available on pension savings for individuals whose income is £150,000 or higher.
86.The Government intends to restrict the availability of tax relief to basic rate on contributions to registered pension schemes for individuals whose income is £150,000 or higher with effect from 6 April 2011.
87.In anticipation of that new restriction, the Government is introducing new rules to apply from 22 April 2009 to restrict higher rate tax relief on pension contributions for individuals - see Budget Note 47: “Pensions: limiting tax relief for high income individuals (anti-forestalling)” for details.
88.The restrictions will apply to people:
whose income is £150,000 or higher;
who change their normal ongoing regular pension savings; and
whose total pension savings exceed £20,000 (which is increased up to £30,000 for those with a pattern of non regular contributions).