State pension

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by a Tolley Personal Tax expert
Personal Tax
Guidance

State pension

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by a Tolley Personal Tax expert
Personal Tax
Guidance
imgtext

Introduction

The state pension is paid from the National Insurance Fund, with contributions by current taxpayers used to fund the current state pensions. There is no investment to meet the future pension needs of current taxpayers.

Reaching state pension age prior to 6 April 2016

Where the individual reached state pension age before 6 April 2016, there are three types of state pension payable in the UK:

  1. •

    category A ― the basic state pension and state second pension (S2P, formerly SERPS), based on the individual’s national insurance contribution (NIC) record

  2. •

    category B ― the basic state pension and S2P, based on the taxpayer’s spouse or civil partner’s NIC record (can be claimed if the spouse / civil partner’s record is better than their own)

  3. •

    category D ― the supplement payable to those pensioners over 80 years old irrespective of contribution record

Categories A and B are mutually exclusive; an individual cannot claim a state pension under both. However, taxpayers in receipt of a category A or B pension are entitled to a category D supplement

Continue reading the full document
To gain access to additional expert tax guidance, workflow tools, generative tax AI, and tax research, register for a free trial of Tolley+™
TAKE A FREE TRIAL NOW
Powered by Tolley+™
  • 22 Jul 2025 09:40

Home/ Tolley Tax Guidance/ Personal Tax / Main tax return

Popular Articles

Personal Tax

Payment of tax due under self assessment

Payment of tax due under self assessmentNormal due dateIndividuals are usually required to pay any outstanding income tax, Class 2 and Class 4 national insurance, and capital gains tax due for the tax year by 31 January following the end of the tax year (ie 31 January 2025 for the 2023/24 tax year).

14 Jul 2020 12:52 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more
Corporation Tax

Premiums on the grant or surrender of a lease

Premiums on the grant or surrender of a leasePremiums on the grant of a lease ― outlineWhen a property investor grants a lease, potentially this could be done on the basis that the tenant pays a premium for the initial grant of the lease, in addition to also paying rent over the term of the lease.

14 Jul 2020 12:58 | Produced by Tolley in association with Rob Durrant-Walker of Crane Dale Tax, part of AMS Group Read more Read more
Employment Tax

Subsistence expenses

Subsistence expensesIntroductionSubsistence is the amount incurred as a consequence of business travel. Typically it relates to accommodation and meal costs incurred. These amounts are allowed because they are associated with the necessary travel which is not to a permanent workplace. See the Travel

14 Jul 2020 13:43 | Produced by Tolley in association with Philip Rutherford Read more Read more