Can I Claim Higher Rate Relief if I Pay Into a Personal Pension

This guide explains whether you can claim higher rate tax relief on personal pension contributions including how relief works, who qualifies, and how to claim it.

Pension contributions are one of the most effective ways to reduce your tax bill in the UK. They also help grow long term retirement savings which benefit from tax relief and tax free growth. If you pay into a personal pension such as a SIPP or a stakeholder pension you might be wondering whether you can claim higher rate tax relief on your contributions and how the process works.

The answer is yes. If you are a higher rate or additional rate taxpayer you can claim extra tax relief on your pension contributions through Self Assessment or through a tax code adjustment. The key point is that the pension provider only gives you 20 percent relief at source. You must claim the remaining relief yourself. In my opinion many higher earners miss out on this entirely because they assume everything is handled automatically.

This guide explains when you can claim higher rate relief, how pension tax relief works, how to calculate the extra relief you are owed, how to claim it, and how the rules affect personal pensions, workplace pensions, salary sacrifice, and those with multiple income streams.

How Pension Tax Relief Works in the UK

HMRC encourages retirement saving by offering tax relief on pension contributions. There are two main systems:

1. Relief at source

This applies to personal pensions such as SIPPs and many workplace pensions.

  • You pay 80 percent of the contribution

  • The pension provider claims 20 percent basic rate relief from HMRC

  • Higher rate and additional rate relief must be claimed by you personally

Example
You pay £80 into your pension. HMRC adds £20 making a total contribution of £100.

2. Net pay arrangement

Some workplace schemes deduct pension contributions before tax. Higher rate relief is automatic in this system.

Relief at source is what personal pensions use which is why higher earners must claim extra relief separately.

Who Can Claim Higher Rate Relief

You can claim higher rate relief if:

  • You pay into a personal pension

  • You pay tax at 40 percent or 45 percent on part of your income

  • The contributions are within your annual allowance (usually £60,000)

  • You have enough income in the higher rate band to justify the extra relief

You cannot claim higher rate relief if:

  • You only pay basic rate tax

  • Your pension uses the net pay system

  • You exceed your annual allowance without unused allowances to carry forward

  • Your contributions are paid via salary sacrifice (another method applies)

In my opinion many people wrongly think salary sacrifice gives the same outcome as relief at source. It does not. They work quite differently.

How Higher Rate Relief Is Calculated

The extra relief you can claim equals the difference between:

  • The tax relief already applied at source (20 percent) and

  • The tax rate that applies to your income (40 percent or 45 percent)

Higher rate example

You earn £60,000 and pay £8,000 into a SIPP.

  • You pay £8,000

  • Pension provider adds £2,000

  • Total contribution is £10,000

Because you pay 40 percent tax you are entitled to 40 percent relief.

  • You already received 20 percent via the provider

  • HMRC owes you an additional 20 percent

  • Total additional relief: £2,000

Your pension still receives £10,000 but you personally receive £2,000 back through a tax refund or tax code adjustment.

Additional rate example

You earn £180,000 and pay £20,000 into a SIPP.

  • 20 percent added by provider

  • You claim an extra 25 percent (difference between 45 percent and 20 percent)

This reduces your tax bill significantly.

How to Claim Higher Rate Pension Tax Relief

There are three ways to claim the extra tax relief.

Method 1: Through Self Assessment

This is the most common method and the most accurate.

Steps:

  1. Complete the Self Assessment tax return

  2. Enter your gross pension contributions (the full amount including the 20 percent HMRC adds)

  3. HMRC calculates the extra relief

  4. You receive the relief through a reduced tax bill or refund

Example
If your gross contribution is £10,000 you enter £10,000 not the £8,000 you paid.

In my view this is the simplest and most controlled method especially for people with mixed income or dividends.

Method 2: Through a tax code adjustment

If you do not complete Self Assessment you can contact HMRC to adjust your tax code.

  • HMRC will estimate your annual pension contributions

  • They will increase your tax free allowance

  • You will pay less tax each month

This works well if your contributions are regular. It may not be suitable if your contributions vary.

Method 3: Automatic adjustment through payroll

This only applies to workplace pensions using the net pay arrangement. Your taxable income is reduced before tax so higher rate relief happens automatically.

Personal pensions do not use this system so you must claim relief yourself.

How This Works if You Are Both Employed and Self Employed

Many people now have both PAYE and self employed income. Higher rate relief can still be claimed.

You must:

  • Add your total pension contributions to your Self Assessment

  • Declare your PAYE income and self employed profit

  • HMRC will work out how much of your income sits in the higher rate band

  • Relief is added accordingly

If your employer operates a net pay scheme and you also pay into a SIPP you can claim higher rate relief on the SIPP contributions only.

How Salary Sacrifice Changes the Rules

Salary sacrifice pension arrangements work differently.

  • Contributions are taken before tax and National Insurance

  • This lowers your gross salary

  • You save both tax and NI

  • There is no need to claim higher rate relief

Salary sacrifice is usually more tax efficient than relief at source for higher earners because NI savings stack on top of tax savings.

In my opinion if you are a higher rate taxpayer salary sacrifice is usually the superior method if your employer offers it.

What if You Contribute More Than the Annual Allowance

The standard annual allowance is £60,000. However:

  • You can carry forward unused allowances from the previous three years

  • High earners may be affected by the tapered annual allowance

  • Low earners with adjusted income below certain thresholds may get the full allowance

If you exceed your annual allowance a tax charge applies which cancels out the relief. You may still receive higher rate relief but must pay an annual allowance charge through Self Assessment.

What if You Have a Low Income but Earn Dividends

Dividends are taxed separately from salary. If your salary is low but your dividends push you into higher rate tax you can still claim higher rate relief on pension contributions.

Example

  • Salary £12,000

  • Dividends £40,000

  • You become a higher rate taxpayer

  • Pension contributions into your SIPP receive additional relief

This is especially relevant for limited company directors.

How Do Personal Pensions Affect Child Benefit and the 60 Percent Tax Trap

For parents and higher earners pension contributions can create additional savings.

Child Benefit

If you earn over £50,000 Child Benefit is clawed back. Pension contributions reduce your adjusted net income which can restore some or all of your Child Benefit.

60 percent tax trap

Between £100,000 and £125,140 you lose your personal allowance at a rate that effectively creates a 60 percent tax band. Pension contributions reduce your income in this band which can create huge tax relief.

In my opinion higher earners should always consider using pensions to avoid these hidden tax traps.

How to Work Out the Total Tax Relief You Will Receive

You can calculate your total relief by understanding three stages:

1. Provider relief (20 percent)

This is added automatically.

2. Higher or additional rate relief

Claimed through Self Assessment or tax code adjustment.

3. Effective tax relief

This is the real financial impact which could be:

  • 40 percent

  • 45 percent

  • 60 percent or more if using the personal allowance taper

  • Over 100 percent if restoring Child Benefit

This is why pensions are one of the most effective tax planning tools in the UK.

Common Mistakes People Make

Some of the most frequent mistakes include:

  • Thinking the pension provider gives all the relief

  • Forgetting to claim the extra relief

  • Entering the wrong figure on the tax return

  • Using the net pay rules for a relief at source pension

  • Exceeding the annual allowance without realising

  • Forgetting contributions made at the start of the tax year

  • Not considering carry forward rules

In my opinion the most costly mistake is assuming no higher rate relief is due when income crosses into the 40 percent bracket.

Real UK Examples

Example 1: PAYE employee with a SIPP

John earns £55,000. He pays £4,000 into a SIPP.
The provider adds £1,000.
John claims £1,000 extra through Self Assessment.

Example 2: Company director

Sarah pays £12,000 from her company into a SIPP as an employer contribution.
No personal relief applies but the company receives corporation tax relief.
Sarah also pays £5,000 personally and claims higher rate relief.

Example 3: Self employed higher rate taxpayer

Tom earns £70,000 profit.
He pays £10,000 into his personal pension.
He claims an extra £2,000 relief through his tax return.

Example 4: Parent avoiding Child Benefit charge

Emma earns £52,000.
She pays £2,500 into her pension.
Her adjusted net income drops below £50,000 so she keeps all her Child Benefit.

These examples show how flexible pension relief can be.

Final Thoughts

If you pay into a personal pension and you are a higher rate taxpayer you can absolutely claim higher rate tax relief. The pension provider only adds 20 percent. The rest must be claimed through Self Assessment or a tax code adjustment. This extra relief can reduce your tax bill, restore Child Benefit, lower your adjusted net income, and make your pension contributions far more efficient.

In my opinion anyone who earns into the higher rate band or receives dividends alongside salary should review their pension contributions each year to make sure they claim every pound of relief available. Pension tax relief is one of the most generous elements of the UK tax system and using it well can make a significant difference to long term wealth.