HMRC has published its latest private pensionĀ statistics. The statistics track the number of individuals contributing to the private pensions, pension withdrawals and the tax reliefs and charges.
Key findings from the latest figures:
- £15.9 billion of individual contributions were made to personal pensions in 2024/25. This was just under 9% more than in 2023/24.
- £3 billion of personal contributions were made from self-employer individuals in 2024/25. A 7% increase from the previous year.
- The gross value of pension income tax and national insurance relief was estimated to be £83.9 billion in 2024/25, around 6% higher than in the previous year.
- Income tax paid on withdrawals from private pensions was £30.1 billion in 2024/25 a significant increase over the £25.6 billion in 2023/24.
- HMRC estimate that 29% of the total tax relief was at basic rate, 57% at higher rate and 14% at additional rate.
- In 2024/25, 30,440 individuals reported annual allowance excesses through their self-assessments. The total value of the excesses reported was £672 million.
Whilst most of the updated figures are for tax year 2024/25, there are much more recent figures provided in relation to those who have flexibly accessed their pensions. The most recent figures are for the quarter 1 January to March 2026. For this period, there has been an 18% increase in the value of payments and 15 increase in the number of individuals withdrawing over the same quarter in 2025. This is perhaps an indication that individuals are already starting to increase their withdrawals in anticipation of the changes to pensions and inheritance tax (IHT) which apply from 6 April 2027.