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HMRC Clarifies When Pension Tax Relief Is Automatic and When You Must Claim

The tax authority says a claim marked complete may be followed by a letter within two weeks, with some replies estimated as late as March 14, 2026.

Overview

  • HMRC reiterated that pension tax relief is applied automatically via payroll or by providers using relief at source for basic-rate relief.
  • Higher-rate taxpayers, schemes not set up for automatic relief, and third-party contributions require individuals to claim extra relief.
  • A taxpayer who filed on November 28 reported a Personal Tax Account status showing complete without detailed confirmation.
  • HMRC pointed to its online timescale tool indicating an expected reply by March 14, 2026 for the enquiry.
  • The department said a complete status can precede a notification letter that may take up to two weeks, and its social media team cannot access personal records.